—THE— 

Gl^IM 0HIEFTAIN 

of Kansas, 



And Other Free-State Men in 

Their Struggles Against 

Slavery. 



Some Politicall Seances, Incidents, 
Inside Political Views^and 
Movements in their 
Career. ^ 



-RY- 

CHERRYvVLe, KANSAS '^ 7 / 

CLARION BOOK & JOB PRINT. 
1885. 






Copyright, 1885 
By LILLIE K. SHEWARD. 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



^ 



/7 



^^PUBLISHEI^'SiPREFAeE,;^ 

— iil^li 

A part of this work was publish- 
ed in the Baldwin Criterion in 
the winter of 1884-85, and created 
considerable interest at that time, 
which is the only excuse we have 
for putting it out in book form. 

Taken as a whole, this work 
now offered to the public is, we 
suppose, without question the 
most graphic and complete pre- 
sentation of an era altogether the 
most remarkable in the history of 
the most important personage 
(James Lane) known in the early 
struggles of Kansas which ever has 
been, or is likelv tu be written. — 



Being written as it is by "one who 
knows" (since deceased,) having 
been intimately acquainted with 
the Grim Cheiftain long before his 
advent into Kansas and written 
without bias or motive of any kind. 
It is confidently hoped that the 
thoughtful reader will find a renew- 
ed and stronger faith in the value 
of the work, completed, as it is by 
the serried array of facts and fig- 
ures and the thrilling recitals of 
personal experience with which it 
reveals the scope, methods, and 
power of that terrible reality. 
"The Grim Cheiftain in his ^strug- 
gles against slavery." 



Till-: 
UEIM CHIEFTAIN 

OF K.\NSA<, 

AM> niJlKK KHKE-STATK MEN lNTHl<:rK 
STin^(;GI.Ey AGAINST SI^AVKRY. 

BY ONE WHO KNOWS. 

Your oorrespondent 1ms often 
thought that, if he were gifted 
with tlie genius and poetic fire of Ho- 
mer of old or possessed the dramatic 
talent of Shakespeare or was endowed 
with the literary ability of a Defoe or a 
Dnnias, he could, provided a sufficient 
length of time had elapsed from the 
occui-ence of the scenes, wish for no 
Uetter subject, to immortalize his name 
than the career of this once famous 
personage of Kansas history and others 
r<»nnected with him Their whole ca- 
reer with those around lum, was one 
continued poem varied by scenes of 
grandeur and sublimity equaled only 
b V t he ( J rccian A ch i 1 les as su ng by the 



The Gnm Chieftain 



father of song: And since truth !« stran- 
ger than fiction, were these scenes pro- 
perly written or portrayed, they would 
almost cause the author ot Macbeth 
or the great masters of romance them- 
selves, though they be now dwellers in 
the spirit land, to fear for the fate and 
fame of their works in the world here 
below. But while nothing of the kind 
is even thought of, let alone contem- 
plated, yet, your correspondent, look- 
ing through terrestial mediums, be- 
lieves that, there are many things 
connected with the career of this sin- 
gular man that never have been made 
public, and consequently known to 
but few or himself alone, which will 
be both interesting and amusing to 
your readers, mauy of whom were 
OHce his personal and political friends 
and also his companions and co-wor- 
kers, during those exciting and turbu- 
lent times, which made Kansas a free 
state. To the people of Baldwin, he was 



The Grim Cheiftaiti 3 



largely indebted for this political 
siccess. Their suppoit,whichhe always 
professed to prize very highly.gave him 
a moral prestige, which, was of the 
li^reateot advantage to him in other lo- 
calities. One of vour citizens, in obe- 
dience to the known wishes of your 
people, at a sacrifice to himself which 
no man ought t > have been called on to 
make, when there was no other escape 
possible, saved him from final defeat. 
There will be no attempt to write 
liis life or a history of his times. 
What is common place or well known 
will not be repeated. To defend, or 
condenn him, or to write him or 
any one else, who may have been con- 
nected, in any way, with him or his ca- 
reer, '*up or down," or to make them 
white or black, is no part of the pre- 
sent plan or purpose. Like most 
others who were brought into contact 
with him, your correspondent has been 
both his political friend and foe, but 



The. Grim Chieftain 



lit this late dav, has no views, nor 
opinions of his own witliregaid to liim 
or others of that period, that he cares 
to nphold; nor, has he any inclination 
or wish to combat the views of otlie s 
He has no friends to reward, and no 
enemies to punish. He owes no man. 
save one, anything, and him he never 
can repay. Besides he is long since 
out of politics, which, when interpret- 
ed into plain language, means that 
he is politically dead and buried be- 
yond all hope of resurrection, except 
that as he may be permitted to occa- 
sionally return and hold a political 
seance with his friends through tin- 
Critekion. What he writes will,there* 
fore be without bias or motive of an}- 
kind But some however will 
wish they never had been politicians 
or that these seances never had been 
written and that departed spirits from 
the world of politics or any other world 
should remain where^they belong. 



(^HAF*TER I. 

His f.itlitM-. His entry into tliin luumlane 
s[»luMc. His curly training and first public 
speech. His election to the Legislature. 
His election :i> Colonel of volunteers for the 
Mexican wr.r. His election to Congress. 

ni>. FATTIER 

rejoicecl in the proplietic and scriptii- 
nil cognouieti of Amos, but nobody 
ever .siispeeted that the sanctity of this 
name liad any effect upon his life or 
influence over his conduct. He was a 
disciple of Blackstone* by profession 
and a Democratic politician by nature 
He was one of the three illustrious 
statesmen who composed the first state 
convention that ever declared for 
the hero of New Orleans for president. 
One of the three was made chairman 
of the convention, another secretary, 
when Amos the Father of the Chief - 
tian, drew lorth and read the neces- 
sary whereases, and resolutions de- 
claring that tor president of these 



6 The Grim Cheiftam 



United States Gen. Andrew Jackson 
of Tennessee, the soldier, patriot and 
stateunmn was the unanimous choice 
of this,the largest and most enthusias- 
tic convention ever assetnbled in the 
stato of Indiana. Thus the ball was 
started that rolled old Hickory into 
the White House. 

HIS APPEARANCE ON THIS PLANET. 

Whether the Chieftain was "born m 
baby." the way in which, the great 
senator from South Carolina in her 
palmest days of slavery, says that all 
men came into this world; or whether 
he was one of the „all men'" that the 
declaration of independence declares 
were born "free and equaF'or whether 
he entered onto this terrestial sphere 
in some other way peculiar to himself 
alone, does not matter. He got here m 
some way and that was sufficient for his 
purpose and ours too. 



The Gnw Cheiftain 



ll'm earliest instructions were m the 
Democratic faith and his walk therein 
was blameless, even from his childhood. 
His early imitations of Demosthenes 
and Cicero were made in little Demo- 
cratic speeches, which were prepared 
or selected by his Democratic mother 
or lather. He claimed to have made 

HIS FIRST PUBLIC SPEECH 

when he was but thirteen years of age 
and that it was orthodox,according to 
the Democratic faith, and was so con- 
sidered by all who heard it. He con- 
tinued to make political speeches from 
that time, as a sort ^f a Democratic 
prodigy or nondescript until he was 
twenty years of age, when he was 

ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE 

of his state, but could not qualify and 
take his seat until he was twenty-one 
which occured soon after the meeting 
of the legislature to which he was 
elected. He gave very general satis- 



8 'Plie (him Chieftaiii 



faction to his party aiid thoy contiini- 
ed to el(x't him until tlie i)rciikiiiL,^ out 
of the Mexican U!ii%\viuMi noi satisticd 
with pei'suit.s (tt peace nor liic Itono!- 
of hi.« state, 

But longt^'l f«»i* <itH'(lf< of w'.tv and {ltIoi'.v; 

He then souji^lit the |)(>>iti<»M of x'olo- 
nel of one of the rr<^irncnts of vofnn- 
teers which his state was tlien laisinu 
for service in the Mexican war, Mc 
had several competitors for the place 
and the contest was very bitter. 
Among other things his enemies, as 
he always called his political 
opponents, charged him with killing 
three men. And this charge, whJcl) 
was considered the most likelv to in- 
sure his defeat, was ])ressed against 
him with the utmost pertinacity. To 
the utter astonishment of his friends 
and every body else, he made no de- 
nial or explanation of it, nor replied 
to it in any way whatever. And when 
any of his friends would speak to him 



The (inm Ciiirjhilii *,) 

;il)oiit it, lie would r<iiii|»ly siiy ''Never 
I'lind, tluit'8 nil right, Thiit'rf \vliat,s 
iioiug to elect me,'' 

When the dav for the election of field 
<>/ficei"S- came, lie made a speech to the 
nieii, and at the <-onclusion, looking as 
s.^ie^un as we may imagine Lazarus to 
have looked when he came foi'thoutof 
his se{)ulchre with his grave clctlies on 
,<aid: ''My enemies say that I have 
killed three men. What do men go 
to w ir for? Is it not to kill men? 
Now, if I have killed three men, as 
they say I have,in time of peace,when 
there was no war, am I not for that 
reason a fit man to lead you to war 
w here you are going t(» kill men? Am 
I not, on that account the very best 
man you could have to lead you to 
war?' It is scarcely necessary to say 
that the men looked on or saw it in 
that light. He was triumphantly elec- 
ted and soon atter departed ^vith his 
l)rave regiment for the crimson fields 



10 77,7^ Griin Cheitlti 



of deadly strife where glory and fame- 
was awaitiiia* hhu in the land of tlie 
Moutezumas and Aztecs — and his 
men never regretted that they had 
chosen him to lead them to war. 

HIS ELECTION TO COXGKK.'^s. 

Not long after his return from the 
^lexican war, the Chieftain appears^ 
as a candidate for a seat in the con- 
gress ot the United States. As usual 
his enemies were plentiful and among 
many other things,the editor of a lead- 
ing paper charged and proved that he 
had promised to procure appointments 
for twenty -three men in the district 
for their support, if he was elected. 
To deny the charge in the face of the 
proof, it was thought would work his 
political ruin, and to admit or evade 
them would be equally disastrous, if 
not more so. Let him take which- 
e^^er horn of the dilemma he chose, 
the editor thought that he was in a 
position to sa^ : "I have met the ene- 



The Grim Ciiu'^tohi 11 



stiv and he is mine.'*' 

lluviii^' ivad the article carefully 
through, the ('hieftiim stretching fortli 
the huiid \n which he held the ])aper^ 
;iiid nuininir his long fingers of the 
' other hand through the hair on tlve 
side of his forehead, said,in a sort of a 
yawning wiiy,to the friends who hanci- 
ed liini the paper and were watching 
to see what effect it would have on 
him, ^'That's all right. That article 
olectB me, jfure.*' '"How is that,''said 
some one. ''I tell you it it. so. Come 
to the meeting to night iind you will 

THE MEETlXc;. 

There ^Yas a grand rally of the De- 
mocracy that night, ^vith many of the 
opposition, who expected to see the 
C'hieftain flay the editor alive and dis- 
])rove or deny that he had ever made 
:any such promises. 



i'2 llic (rrini Cliicffiiiii 



BYNOrsIH OF HIS BrEp:(ii. 

His speech tliat night was u\ iiis 
best and happiest stvie, and may l>e 
said to be one of the greatest, if not the 
greatest effort of his Avhole lite. He 
declared. 

"That the institution of'nigger'slave- 
ry was of Divine origin and appoint- 
ment and was instituted for the best 
good, of both the 'nigger' (this is the 
way he wrotte his word then,) and 
the white races. That the 'nigger' 
^vhile they possessed great physical 
powers, pnd were well adapted to la- 
bor in warm and malarial climates 
were mentally inferior pnd without 
capacity for improvement, and needed 
the intelligence and skill of the supe- 
rior white race to superintend their la- 
bor so as to conduce in the best man- 
ner to their subsistance. Thus, the 
best interest of both races, was subserv- 
ed and the wisdom of the Divine eco- 
i^omy made mamtest. That the condi- 
tion of the 'niggers' m slavery in the 
southern states was vastly superior to 
the condition of those in Africa where 



'iVir (Irini Ch'eJ'U i'l ]>) 

tlic'V had not the heiiefit of the iiitel- 
liixence of white men to dii'ect theiii 

''That Mie institution of hiininn sla- 
vei-y was m aecoi'd witli tlie ])]ainest 
letK'hiniis of the Bible. W'iis not Ham 
cursed. Most assuredly he was. '(An- 
.<ed be * 'anaan, a servant of servants 
shall he be unto his hrethern.' 'Ser- 
vants obey your master.' 'Servants 
be obedient unto your masters." That 
the constitution of our country recog- 
nizes and sanctions it. This the abo- 
litionists, themselves allow when thev 
declare that the constitution of the 
United States is n league with death 
and a covenant with hell. That the 
fugitive slave law was in strict accord- 
ance with the constitution, which pro- 
vides in ])lain language that person who 
owe service or hibor and should escape 
into another state, should be given up 
to the persons to whom such labor or 
service was due. Did not Paul return 
Onesimus,whowas a fugitive slave, to 
Philemon, his master? That slaves 
were made property by the constitu- 
tion, the same as horses or mules and 
their masters or owners had the same 
moral and legal right to reclaim a fu- 



14 77/r (rriin C/icij'fn'ii 

uilive slave, that tliey had to letake nu 
cstrav JDuie or horse. That (h.e aholi- 
lioiiists were wor.-^e tJuui iniidels, toi- 
(iiey ignore the plainest teacJiings of 
ihe Bible in whieh they ])rofess to be- 
lieve. Tliat they deseived not only 
the maledictions execrations and ana 
thenias of all good citizens, but :ilso 
the severest punislMnent for their 
crimes against the constitulion and 
laws of the land. That their only ob- 
ject was to dissolve the Union and de- 
stroy the best government on eartli 
Declared that the whigs were aboli- 
tionists in disguise — a pack of hungry, 
howling and ravenous wolves dressed 
up in sheep's clothing bleating and 
begging for office. That tliey were 
worse, more detestible and meaner 
than the abohtionists,for they had nei- 
ther the manhood nor the courage to 
avow their principles and convic- 
tions. That protection for American 
labor about which they had so much 
to say, was nothing but a scheme for 
robbing the paor man for the benefit 
of the rich. He then compared the 
merits of the presidential candidates. 
iSaid that Gen. Scott had been prop- 



Tr.c ( h'hii (Itclftd'hi \'> 

<Tly named 'Old Fuss and Feathers' 
because lie auionnted to n()tl;inL^ That 
i^'ianklin Fierce of New Hanipsliiiv 
■was a patriot, soldier and statesman 
<tf the very highest order. That if he 
were elected ])iesident of the Ignited 
States he would enforce the fugitive 
:^lave law and protect the southern 
jteople in theii inalienable constitu- 
tional and God-given rights to their 
juoperty and thus preserve the Union 
as our fathers made it, from dissolution 
and destruction. 

Having 'elaborated in his usual way 
each of the heads, which formed the 
substance of all Democratic speeches, 
in tiiose days, he drew forth from his 
p(K*ket a paper and said: ''1 am here 
charged in this paper which I hold in 
my hand, with having promised to se- 
cure Federal appointments for 23 
worthy, reputable and in every way 
competent men, who live in this dis- 
trict. The editor not only makes the 
charges but has collected a great 
amount of evidence to prove it and 



1() Tlii' (u'lni Cli'icff/i'ii 

fur ;ill that 1 can see, does jji-ove it. 
Xow I want to >ny right here, lellow- 
eitizens,that if, 1 have made tiiese ])r()- 
iiiises and this editor says, that I have 
.•iiid seems to have ])ioven it, every 
one of tliese men shall he ai)])ointed, 
Every promise that I have made 
shall be ftdfilled, if I am elected and 
[ am sure 1 will be. And I say more, 
that there are a great many other 
competent and worthy men, who shall 
likewise receive appointinents for I 
am determined, when I am elected 
that this district shall have its full 
share of the Federal patronage, some 
thing It never had yet. What is there 
wrong about that? Who will say this 
district should not have that which 
rightfully belongs to it. Even the 
editor ot this paper, himself, will not 
dare say there is any wrong in that. 
And while I will always give the pre- 
ferences to members of the Democrat 
party, as a matter of course, yet there 



The Gnin CJiieftaiu 17 



are many worthy and competent men 
in the opposition who would fill posi- 
tions with credit to themselves and 
their country." 

The speech had the desired effect. 
Applications, almost without number, 
from men of both parties were 

made and in all cases the promise was 
given to these patriots, that if, they 
would wor kand vote for him, that 
they should receive the desired ap- 
pointment. Democrats and Whigs 
now, animated by the same hope and 
actuated by ths same motive vied 
with each other in their dev^otion to 
the Chieftian and his cause. His 
election way easy — but the appoint- 
ments — 

CHAPTER II. 

His advent into Congres?. His opposition 
to the Kansas-Nebraska bill. The under- 
standing. Me defies Senator Douglas The 
Senator pulls the wool over his eyes. The 
Chieftain and Senator both happy. He 



18 The Grim Chieftain 

agrees to support the bill. Comes to Kan- 
sas. Organizes the Democratic party. His 
betrayal. and political downfall in the Demo- 
cratic party. Joins the free-state men. 

Soon after his advent into Congress 
he was confronted with the grandest 
and most adroit political swindles ever 
conceived by the mind of men, the bill 
for the organization of the territory 
of Kansas and Nebraska and the re- 
peal of the Missouri compromise. That 
the south might force slavery into 
Kansas by fraud and murder and at 
the point of the bayonet if necessary. 
But such was the opposition to this 
bill throughout the country and es- 
pecially m his own congressional dis- 
trict that for him to vote for it would 
be political suicide. This was rather 
more than he felt himself caPed upon 
to do, even in the interests of the Di- 
vine and constitutional Jinstitution of 
slavery. He,therefore,resolved to op- 
pose it, notwithstanding it had been 
made an administration measure and 



The Grim Chieftain \^ 

a party test. The party lash was ap- 
plied to him in vain. As the bill could 
not be carried without his support it 
became neccessary for Senator Douglas 
and the President to have an under- 
standing with hira. 

THE UNDERSTANDING. 

Senator. — Good evening, Colonel, I 
am really very happy to meet you to- 
night; but pardon me I should hava 
said, general. 

The Chieftain —Not at all,Senator, 
I can assure you that I am proud of 
my title of Colonel, and have no de- 
sire to be addressed by anything high- 
er, until I am legitimately entitled to 
it. 

Senator — All right then, Colonel, 1 
can assure you that it is the general 
opinion of your countrymen that vou 
honored the title while in Mexico. 
But,Colonel, I really owe you an apo- 
logy for sending for you at this late 



20 The Grim Cheiftain 



hour in the night. I wished ''to see 
you on a matter of the utmost impoi- 
tance both to myself and the country 
and I wished the interview to be 
private. T understand that you are 
opposed to my bill for the organization 
of the territories of Kansas and Ne- 
braska and the repeal of the Missouri 
compromise and I was anxious to see 
if 1 could not convince you that it 
would be to your interests to support 
my bill. You are aware, I suppose 
that it has been made an administra- 
tion measure and consequently a test 
of fealty to the Democratic party. 

The Chieftain — No apology at all. 
I can assure you, I deem it both a 
privilege and an honor to meet the 
Senator from Illinois at any time. I 
am aware that your bill has been 
made an administration measure and 
a party test. But, Senator, such is 
the opposition of my constituenis to 
the repeal of the Missouri compromise 



The Grim. Cheiftain 21 



that it would be nothing-short of poli- 
tical suicide for me to support your 
bill, and 1 cannot see what advantage 
it would be to belong to the Democra- 
tic party, if I am politically dead at 
home. True, I might receive an ap- 
pointment and be a leach or sinacure 
on the government while this admin- 
istration lasts; then be turned out, 
without honor or prospects, to be a 
dead duck the remainder of my life. 
Moreover, I am loyal to the platform 
of -52, on which the present adminis- 
tration was elected, and upon which it 
is in honor bound to stand. I, also, 
deny most emphatically the right to 
make any other test of Democracy. 

Senator. — Very true, you are cer- 
tainly, right, Colonel, there can be no 
other party test than fealty to that 
platform of sound Democratic princi- 
ples. I myself had a great part in 
making that platform and will ac- 
kuowledi^e no other tet't neither will 



22 The Grim Chieftain 



any other true Democrat. My bill, 
also, is in perfect harmony with it. 
Are you not aware, Colonel, that the 
opposition, uhich you speak of, comes 
principally from the abolitionists, 
whig and disaffected Democrats and is 
buL ephemeral and will soon pass away? 
At least, your senior Senator informs 
me such is the case. 

The Chieftein — By no means. The 
opposition in my district comes from 
the Democrats, themselves. I can 
assure you I would care nothing for 
the opposition of the whigs and abo- 
litionists. Nothing would give me 
more pleasure than to fight them. But 
I have letters trom nearly all the 
leading Democrats of my district urg- 
ing me to oppose the bi^l. Nearly all 
the papers of our party oppose the re- 
peal of the Missouri comproiuise. The 
Democrats of all the largest towns in 
mv district have held meetings and 



The G-rim Chieftain 23 

deiiouDced the openiDg up of the sla- 
very question (the writer was lecturing 
in his district at that time and knows 
this to be true). I have also written 
letters to many of my constituents tel- 
ling them I would vote against the 
bill. 1 have no doubt in the world. 
Senator, but that I can be re-elected 
on the position I have taken. 

Senator. — Colonel, when you are as 
old as I am you will be very careful 
how you write letters, pledging your- 
self to any course. 

The Chieftain — Indeed, Senator,that 
was one of the very first political les- 
sons taught me by my father and, if I 
am not as old as you are, I think I 
understand how, and when to write 
letters. 

Senator. — I haye the utmost confi- 
dence in the prudence and sagacity of 
your father and, if he has given you 
instructions on letter writing, you 
need no suggestions from me. (We 



24 The Grim Cheiftuin 



all, here, recollect how he set the 
ball in motion for Jackson.) But you 
will pardon me, I think, Colonel, you 
are mistaken about your re-election, 
in opposition to my bill. You will 
be a bolting candidate and there will 
be a regular Democratic candidate 
and the opposition will have a candi- 
date who may be elected. 

HE DEFIES THE SENATOR AND THE 
ADMINISTRATION. 

The Cheiftam — I have no desire. 
Senator, to pursue this subject further 
except to say that, under the circum- 
stances, I cannot support your bill- 
Personally, I should be very glad to 
do so, but self preservation is the first 
law of nature and, however, much I 
may desire it, I cannot. That your 
bill has been made an administration 
measure and consequently a party test, 
I have been fully aware for some time, 
but you will pardon me, Senator, if I 
remind you, also, that unless your bill 



Tfie Gnm Chieftain 25 



passes congress, the making it a party 
test will amount to nothing or be 
worse than folly; and, also,that it will 
take not only, my vote but that of 
several other Democratic members to 
carry it through, and that we have 
pledged ourselves to stand together. 
You must, also, pardon me, Senator 
if I tell you that politics sometimes 
makes strange bed-fellows. I com- 
prehend the situation perfectly. To 
support your bill, Senator,would ruin 
me politically, forever. I am yet a 
young man, and have what I consider 
a laudable ambition to be somebody 
and so far, I have been as successful 
as I could expect, if not, as I could 
wish, as you yourself will allow and 
do not feel that it would be right 
or that I am called on to sacrifice my- 
self and all my prospects, even for my 
best and most honored friend. 

THE SENATOR PULLS THE WOOL OVER 
HIS EYES. 



26 Tlie Grim Chieftain 



Senator — Certainly, certainly, Col- 
onel you have been very successful so 
far, and for a young man of your 
ability there is no position in the 
country but what is possible for you. 
But to change the subject,Colonel,how 
would you like a seat in the senate? 

The Chieftain — A seat in the sen- 
ate should satisfy the ambition of al- 
most any mai, and to be frank with 
you, Senator, I am looking ahead at 
that at the proper time. 

Senator — But, Colonel you certain- 
ly cannot expect to supplant Senator 
Bright and he is quite a young man 
yet. So the proper time as you term 
it, m your state, must necessarily be 
quite remote indeed. 

The Chieftain — Very true, but there 
is no telling what may turn up, and 
my motto is be ready for anything 
that may turn up. Though as you 
say the prospect in my state seems re- 
mote, indeed. 



The Grim Chieftain 27 



Senator — We, Colonel that is the 
president and myself have a plan by 
which you can secure a seat in the 
senate,should it meet your views. 

The Chieftain-What is theplan,Sen- 
ator. Any means by which I can se- 
cure a seat in the United States sen- 
site, honorably, and you know Sena- 
tor, what that means, will meet my 
views most certamly. 

Senator — Ot course, honorably 
means successfully. AVe have it from 
reliable authority that the lands of 
Kansas are very fertile and attractive. 
Consequently there will be a great 
rush of people there to get possession 
ot these lands both from the north 
and the South. The South will en- 
courage emigration with the hope of 
making Kansas a slave state. The 
North with the expectation of making 
it a free state. Before the first snm. 
mer passes away tliere will be people 
enough to form n state government 



28 The arim Chdftain 



and entitle Kansas to admission into 
the Union as a state. Now, we wish 
some first-class young man to go to 
Kansas and organize the Democratic 
party on the basis of the platform of 
'52 and superintend the organization 
of the state government and the ad- 
mission of the state into the Union. 
For pioneer lite, he must be a young 
man. and as most of the people will 
be from the western states he must be 
a, western man. You are the best 
cjualified and most suitable. Your 
opposition to my bill, is the only thing 
in your way. You shall liave the 
support of the administration in the 
organization of the party, you will be 
the head of the ]»arty and liave nil 
the authority that two .senators and a 
governor would have — More, you will 
1^0 virtually dictator of the party 
thf^TO. All np]H>intments and removals 
fron^. office in the territory will ho 
jjinido up^'H yoL'r rPconi'-Dcrsdation. ynd 



The GHm Cheiftam 29 



when the state government is forined 
you will be the administration candi- 
date for the United States senate 
Then, with your prestige, you can dic- 
tate the other senatoi and come here 
clothed with all the power and au- 
thority of two senators,hesides you can 
dictate the governor of the state and 
other state officers and that will give 
you a standing in the senate such as 
no other senator, except myself, will 
have. 

The Chieftain-In \rliat position shall 
I go there. 

Senator — It would not be best for 
you to go there in any official capaci- 
ty whatever. One holding official po- 
sitions necessarily engenders enemies. 
Besides, Colonel, you could not he 
conlirmed by the senate for anv ];()si 
tion You have expressed your oppo- 
sition to the repeal ot the Missom-i 
(■ompromise and tor that those Sou- 
thern hounds vvjll uvxor foro-ive yon 



30 The Grim Chieftain 

nor vote for your confirmation for any 
office whatever. The best way for 
you to go will be as a private citizen, 
take a claim as an honest yoeman, — 
you understand, — call for a mass con- 
vention of the Democracy of the terri- 
tory as soon as possible and organize 
the Democracy on the platform of '52 
The president will recognize your or- 
ganization as the legitimate Democrat- 
ic party of Kansas — You, of course, 
will have your self made chairman of 
the Central committee. Further, you 
must apparently go on your own re- 
sponsibility. If these Southern whelps 
find out, we, I mean the president and 
myself, have any responsibility in your 
going there, they will defeat my no- 
mination for the presidency, though 
they have all pledged themselves to 
support me if I would introduce this 
bill and get Northern support enough 
to carry it through Congress. Under 
the opperation of my bilbwhich leaves 



2''he Grim Chieftain 31 



the people of the territory perfectly 
free to settle the question of slavery 
in their own way, subject only to the 
constitution of the United States. Why 
the repeal of the Missouri compro- 
mise, only makes slavery possible in 
Kansas, but, not at all probable. 
These southern fellows,are fighting for 
a barren idiality, if they knew it. 
Nothing more. There is nothing prac- 
tical about them. While one south- 
ern man would get there with his 
slaves, a dozen, Yes, I may say, a 
bundled men will go there from the 
North and West. Besides the right 
of holding slaves in the territories ,is 
left in obeyance for the courts, and, 
until that question is settled, no 
one will be so foolish as to take slaves 
into Kansas and run the risk of losing 
*them. Therefore, under an impartial, 
fair and honest administration of my 
bill, in accordance with the constitu- 
tion and principles as enunciated in 



32' The Grim Cheiftain 

the national Democratic platform of 
'52 Kansas will unquestionably become 
a free state. This will be to my in- 
terest — I foresaw all this opposition in 
the North, that you speak of in your 
district. But when Kansas comes in- 
to the Union as a free state, this op- 
position will all cease and I will have 
the unanimous support of the Northern 
Democracy. It will be necessary to 
have Kansas admitted, as a free state, 
before the next presidential election. 
Then everything will be just as I 
would Lave it. I will be president 
without a doubt, you will be a leading 
senator of the nation and should " you 
desire anything else under my admin- 
istration, you can have it. Or should 
you prefer the succession, after my 
second term, the influence of my ad- 
ministration will be at your disposel.. 
The president and I are in perfect ac- 
cord in all these things and during his 
administration we will have his cor- 



IVie Gnm Chiejtain oo 

dial support and co-operation. I have 
those southern rascals just where I 
want them. They thought they were 
playing it sharp. They supposed the 
repeal of the Missouri compromise 
would lay me out in the North, and 
then as a worn out tool that could be 
of no more service to them throw me 
aside. But they did not know with 
whom they were fooling. Colonel, all 
this is in the strictest confidence, I 
would not say these things to you, if 
I had not the most implicit confidence 
in your honor, not only, as a gentle- 
man and a member of the Congress of 
the United States, but also, as a mem- 
ber of the Democratic party that 
which no tie can be more sacred and 
binding between honorable men — as 
we both profftss to be. They will find 
their match this time, if they never 
did before. The repeal of the Missou- 
ri compromise, also,kilTs old Benton,my 
most infiuential and inveterate enemy. 



34 The Grim Chieftain 

He came into prominence on ii and 
when it's repealed, don't you see, will 
end his career? You see I have look- 
ed the ground all over very carefully. 
It will be necessary for you, also, to 
mislead those southern scoundrels 
with regard to our plans on the slav- 
ery question and make them believe 
you are in favor of making Kansas a 
slave state. This you can do on your 
way to Kansas by stoppmg in Missou- 
ri and trying to buy some slaves to 
take with you to Kansas. As actions 
speak louder than words,this will have 
the desired effect. You need notcou- 
clude a bargain. You can ask time. 
Then it can be telegraphed over the 
country that you, on your way to Kan- 
sas, have stopped in Missouri to buv 
some field hands to take with you to 
that territory to open up your farm. 
Do you not see how carefully I have 
thought over the whole subject. ' 

The Chieftain — I am, verv much 



The Grim Chieftain 35 



impressed with what you say, Senator, 
but there is one difficulty in the way. I 
liave been quite conspicuous in my 
opposition to your bill and should J 
now vote for it people would think 
and say I was bought and as I would 
have no official position they would 
very naturally conclude that money 
was the consideration and tliat would 
be most dainasfins to me. in my new 
field. 

Senator — Just so, Colonel, but I 
have already thought of that, also, and 
have a way to obviate that objection. 
The President will instruct the Mar- 
shal of your state to get instructions 
from your constituents instructing you 
to vote for my bill on the ground that 
since they have seen my bill and un- 
derstand it, "that thev are in favor of 
it, since it gives freedom to the terri- 
tories as well as the states. He will 
also get letters from leading Demo- 
crats who have been opposing it, also 



36 The Ghrim Cheiftain 

clippings fromt he leading newspapers. 
You can thus vote for it under instruc- 
tions. Personally, I take it, that you 
are like myself, — no sentiment in po- 
litics. Success is the only criterion by 
which we are governed and the only 
end to which we aim. 

The Cheiftain — The argument, Sen- 
ator, strikes me very favorably,! have 
no doubt but "John Lard Oil" can get 
the instructions, letters, and clippings 
you speak of, for he seldom fails in 
what he undertakes, but I would like 
to have the assurance of the president 
himself, that he will carry out all 
these things, just as you say he will. 
I do not doubt your word, in the least, 
but then I wish to have the assurance 
from him personally. I always make 
it a rule to be on the safe side both in 
business and politics. 

Senator — John Lard Oil! What is 
the meaning of that Colonel? I don't 
understand it. 



The Grim Cheiftain 37 



The Chieftam — Oh I it is simply a 
nickname we give the Marshal, John 
L. Robinson, because he has his whis- 
ky shipped to him in kegs, marked 

LARD OIL. 

Senator — I see! About the assur- 
ance of the president. It would never 
do for you and I to go to the White 
House together to see him. Those 
southern whelps keep him literally 
besieged and should any of them see 
us go there for a private interview 
they would immediately surmise that 
something was up, and in some way 
defeat our object. But I thought you 
would want that assurance, so I have 
brought you a letter from the presi- 
dent, in the hand-writing of his pri- 
vate secretary in which, as you will see 
he pledges himself to carry out any 
arrangement I may make with you 

The Chieftain — (reading the letter) 
That's all satisfactory. 

Senator — .Tust vou continue vour 



38 The Grim Chieftain 

opposition and be more out sooken 
than ever, until the instructions arrive 
and then I wil] let vou koow when to 
come to the support ot my bill. 
Everything is now understood and 
satisfactory is it. 

THE CHIEFTAIN AND SENATOR BOTH 
HAPPY. 

The Chieftain — Everything is satis- 
factory and I feel very grateful to you 
for the intei'est yon have taken in my 
welfare, and when ever I can render 
you a service, call on me. 

Senator — \11 right, Colonel, I will 
do so. I, also congratulate you,as the 
lirst senator from the future state of 
Kansas. 

The Chieftain — I, also, congratulate 
y3U, as the next president of the Unit- 
ed States, Good -night, Sena'o.-. 

Senator — Good-night, Colonel. 

The Senator the next day, in the 
name of the president, wrote to the 
Marshal, who was ever equal to all 



Hie Grim Chieftain 89 



emergencies of that kind, and in due 
time the desired instructions, letters 
and clippings arrived,as requested. 

HE YIELDS HIS OPPOSITIOiN. 

Shortly before the passage of the bill 
when it became necessary to have his 
vote on the preliminary motions. The 
Chieftain made known the instruc- 
tions and letters which he had receiv- 
ed with all the apparent candor of one 
who believed them genuine. Stated 
that his chief reason lor opp:)sing the 
repeal of the Misssouri compromise, 
was because he believed his constitu- 
ents were opposed to it, but since he 
had learned that a great change, had 
recently taken place in their views, 
and that they were now strongly in 
favor of it, he would yield whatever 
private reasons he may have had and 
vote as his constituents had instructed 
and wished him to do. This he be- 
lieved to be the true duty ot a repre- 
sentative of the people. 



40 The Grim Cheiftain 

HE GOES TO KANSAS. 

The bill passed. The Chieftain 
gathering his effecis and Penates little 
ones and bidding adieu to his friends 
and native land,loosed his "political" 
barque from its mooring in the scenes 
of his heretofore greatness and set sail 
on that vast and treacherous political 
sea, for Kansas and the Senate of the 
United States and ultimately the 
White House, the ultima Thrul of his 
ambition and bearing imo pectore 
great secrets of state' known only to 
two men besides himself, the president 
and the most distinguished senator in 
the nation; confiding also in their as- 
surances that they would watch over 
and protect his litile barque until its 
fame should fill the whole land. A 
smile would then play over his coun- 
tenance as he thought how nicely he 
was escaping the scalping knife of 
those disappointed patriots in his old 
district, who were crying tor vengence 



The Grim ChieJlaiiL 41 

and also congratulated himself that 
fortune had favored him and that he 
was going far beyond the reach of his 
enemies ;nay more that he was a secret 
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister 
Plenenportetiary, a chosen and trusted 
Ambassador from among all chief men 
of the nation sent on the grandest and 
most important mission thai could be 
entrusted to man; that ot organizing 
the great Democratic party on the ba- 
sis of those sound and truly Democrat- 
ic principles, as enumerated in the na- 
tional Platform of 1852 and laying 
the foundations of a great state and 
placing it where it would shine as a 
star forever on the banner of the 
Union, and also himself as the first 
senator holding council with the great 
and wise men ol the nation. Finally 
he pictured himself seated in the pre- 
sident's chair and occupying fames top- 
most pinicle, receiving the plaudits of 
millions, both now "and yet to be." 



42 The Grim Chieftain 

He also applied the words of the poet 
with a slight change to himself 
**While rivers into sem shall run, [sun; 

The space of heaven round, the radiant 
While trees, to monntam-tops with shades. 

supply 
My honor name and fame shall never die" 
HE STOPS IN MISSOURI 

aiid makes known that he was on hk 
way to Kansas, where he was going to 
live the life of a farmer and desired to 
open up his farm, but as he wished to 
purchase on time, he did not succeed 
his references probably not being sat- 
isfactory. 

HE REACHES KANSAS. 

and proceeds to I^awrence and locates 
a claim near the city and begins the 
life of an honest farmer among the 
"squatter sovereigns" of Kansas but 
soon after. 

ORGANIZES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. 

without any unnecessary delay he issu- 
ed a call, for Al those who believed m 
the doctrine and principles of thc'De- 



Hie Grim Chieftain 43 

mocratic party as enuraerated in the 
platforiu of 1852 to assemble in mass 
oonvention in the city of Lawrence on 
a given day for the purpose of organ- 
izing the Democratic party of the ter- 
ritory of Kansas. The place appoint- 
ed for the meeting was a little log 
house near the bank of the Kaw river. 
The house was small compared witli 
the Herculian labor that was about 
to be performed m it. But the inside 
and outside would hold all that 
would be likely to assemble and the 
more there would be on the outside, the 
greater would be the eclat of the con- 
vention. The time for the assembling 
of the mass convention at length came 
but the Democracy anxious for an 
organization on the platform of '52 
did not materalize to any great etxent 
Six men including the Chieftain, him- 
self, entered the building the Hon. 8, 
N. Wood who, in the opinion of many 
f)eople, came to Kansas at the instance 



44 The Grim Cheiftain 



ofSenator Chase of Ohio for a similar 
purpose on a very different platform 
from the one under consideration, he 
remained on the out side to watch 
the agony through a crack while. "Ri- 
diculus mus iiecitar y The Chieftain, 
nothing at all discouraged by the 
smallness of the number present with 
great dignity called the meeting to 
order, and stating the object for^ which 
the convention had been called, nomi- 
nated one of the number for chairman 
of the meeting and put the vote and 
declared him unanamously elec- 
ted, A secretary was then choseil 
He now instructed the chairman to 
declare the meeting ready for business 
which was accordingly done. He then 
made a speech in his grandiloquent 
style on the importance of the great 
work that had called them together, 
and denounced the free-state men, as 
the offscouring and scum of Northern 
.^ooietv who had been sent there by 



Th^ Grim Cheiftain 45 

the Abolition Emigrant Aid societies 
for the purpose of controling the elec- 
tions and making an abolition state'of 
Kansas. 

Next he moved that a committee of 
six be appointed on pre-amble and re- 
solutions and instructed the chairman 
how to put the motion and the secre- 
tary how to make the record of it, and 
then instructed the chairman to ap- 
point the committee,stating that "him- 
self "as mover of the resolution accord- 
ing to parliamentary rule, should be 
appointed chairman of the committee. 
As chairman of the committee he got 
the six into the corner of the room 
and pulled forth from his pocket the 
whereases already prepared to the 
dotting of the i's and the crossing of 
the t's, and read them with great gus- 
to to the committee. A motion was 
now made to adopt the pre-amble and 
resolutions as read and report them to 
tlie mass convention and recommend 



46 The Grim Chieftcdn 



their adoption by that body. Od motion 
the committee adjourned. The Chief- 
tain now requested his chairman to 
take his seat and c»ll«d the convention 
to order and taking a position in the 
midst of the floor said, Mr. Chairman 
your committee on pre-amble andji-eso- 
lutions would after due consideration 
beg leave to submit the following re- 
port and recommend ite adoption by 
this mass convention of the people of 
Kansas,reads the pre-amble and reso- 
lutions,and then asked some one at his 
right to make a motion that the report 
be accepted and the committee dis- 
charged. This done, a motion was 
made that the report be now 
adopted by the convention. Another 
spread eagle speech, at the conclusion 
of which he told them it would be the 
proper thing for them all to wave 
their hats and shout at the top of their 
voices and make all the noise that 
y they were capable of doing as soon as 



The Grim Chieftain 47 



the chairman should announce the re- 
solutions carried, all of which was 
carried out as suggested. When quiet 
was restored a Central committee of 
six was appointed of which the Chief- 
tain, of course was chairman. The 
canvention then adjourned sini die. 
He now took the records from the sec- 
retary, saying it would be necessary 
for him to have them, as he wished to 
maae out a report of the proceedings 
for the press and rolling them up and 
placing them in his pocket departed 
for his abode thus the Democratic 
party of the territory of Kansas was 
organized and ifever a politician coiald 
be truly said to carry a whole party 
in his pocket, it was the Chieftain, as 
he walked away from that meeting 

HE SOLIQUISES. 

The convention was not large but 
his father held a convention with just 
halt the number that proved success- 
ful and made Jackson. Why not this 



48 The Grim Cheiftain 

one be fully as successful. His pub- 
lished report of it would set everything 
forth in good shape, while the report 
that S. N. Wood would make, would 
be considered as and abolition lie. 
Besides he was the chosen representa- 
tive of President Pierce and Senator 
Douglas to carry cut their plans and 
purposes. Nothing now was wanting 
but 

THE RECOGNITION OF HIS 

Democratic part}' by the administra- 
tion at Washington which in good 
time was sure to come. It mattered 
not to him that Candle-box Calhoun 
and other pro-slaveryjofficials denounc- 
ed him as a traitor to true Democracy 
and an abolitionist. He could afford 
to exercise a dignified forbearance un- 
til the recognition should come, when 
the official heads of all those who did 
not bow to him and recognize his De- 
mocratic party,should fall into his po- 
litical waste basket,and good and true 



The Grim Chieftain 49 



men be appointed in their places. 
That the promises made to him by the 
president of the United States and 
Senator Douglas would turn like his 
promises to those who were now cry- 
ing for political vengence in his old 
district and that with the same mea- 
sure that he did mete it should be 
measured to him again,heaped up and 
running over at the sides, never once 
entered his mind. 

THE RECOGNITION JOMES, 

but not the recognition of him and his 
party on the platform of '52. Rightly 
divining that Senator Douglas had sent 
him to Kansas to organize the Demo- 
cratic party on the basis of the platform 
of'52, and thus bring Kansas into the 
Union as a free state, in order to pro- 
mote his political prospects in the 
North, slavery compelled the presi- 
dent J; to recognize Candle-box Cal- 
houn's dyna8ty,as the true Democracy 



50 The Orim Chieftain 

of Kansas. And although, it was a 
matter of the most perfect indifference 
to the Chieftain, himself whether "sla- 
very was legislated into Kansas or ex- 
cluded therefrom or whether the people 
were left perfectly free to regulate 
their institutions in their own ways, 
subject only to the constitution of the 
United States,yet he had become a par- 
ty to a policy that,if carried out,would 
make Kansas a free state. That was 
the unpardonable sin, for which there 
could be no forgiveness,though sought 
in penitence and tears. It seemed 
now as though bedlum had opened 
wide its mouth and was belching forth 
all its curses upon his head. He was 
denounced as the very arch-fiend of 
abolitionism. A price was set upon 
his head. Slavery was ever practica 1 
in its methods of dealing with opposi- 
tion. If he had been some huge mon- 
ster of a wild beast roaming over the 
prairies devouring all with whom he 



The Grim Chieftain 51 



came in cod tact, he could not have 
been more feared and detested. Nor 
was the abuses confined to the slave 
state Democracy of Kansas alone. The 
Democracy of the whole country, con- 
gress,the president and Senator Doug- 
lass all united in declaring him an 
abolitionist, villain, murderer, scoun- 
drel and full of all uncleanness and as 
a traitor to the true Democratic party 
which was the greatest of all crimes. 
The condition of Gilderoy's famous 
kite was nothing to be compared to 
that of the Chieftain and his "Demo- 
cratic party of '52." Both he and it 
were wrecked on the perilous billows 
and brakers of slavery, — he escaping 
with his life only. He was now in a 
similar condition to that of Elijah, 
when he was fed by the ravens only 
there were no ravens to feed him; or 
that of David, when Saul sought his 
life, without any Jonathan to befriend 
him; or, as those men of old, of whom 



52 The Grim Cheiftatn 



it was declared that this world is not 
worthy, he wandered about not in a 
sheep skin or a goats skin as they did 
but in an old seal-skin coat, without 
their faith to support him. 
"Whom of gods and men did he not accuse." 
HE IS NOW DEt'I.ARED AN OUTLAW. 

not only to the party of his choice but 
the party to which he hadanundispu 
table birthright. All hope of honor 
and fame through that party is lost, 
lost forever. 

•'However grievious death may be," 

it was nothing to be compared to his 
present condition and suffering. Re- 
venge he resolves upon, but how shall 
he obtain it? It he w-ere only a Samp- 
son, that he could lay hokl of the pil- 
lars of the Democratic house, how 
gladly he would pull it down upon 
himself, if all in the house and espec- 
ially those on the top should ])erish 
with him in the fall. Tiiat he could 



TJie Grim Chdftain 



not do. But, as the enemy of man- 
kind 'Svith bis fallen peers'' about 
him 

'Lay vanquished, rolling in the firery, gulf 
And nine times the space that measured day 

and night 
To mortal men." 

l)lans the attack on Adam and P^ve 
for the ruin of the human race and to 
avenge himsell i'or beinu* 
''Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethere:il 

sky, 

With hideous ruin and combustion, down 
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell;" 

So, the Chieftain for many more 
"Than nine times the space that measures 
day and night" 

Wanders about in his old sealskin 
coat, but alone, suffering tis ::, 

"in adamantine ciiains and pei:.;l lire," 
and meditating revenge on the load- 
ers and the. party that had betrayed 
him until the thought strikes him. 
ISlavery! Yes that's it! ''To force 
shivery into Kansas,' I have been l)e- 



54 The Grim Chieftain 



trayed! Slavery! It is the very ap- 
ple of their eye! The very ideal of 
their souls! The shrine at which they 
worship! Dearer to them than gold 
and silver and lands! Yes than wives 
and brothers and sisters [fathers and 
mothers; than honor and fame and 
country! Dearer than all these! To 
destroy slavery will bo to destroy the 
Dem^jcratic party and if it does not 
destroy the Democrats themselves it 
will render their condition more intol- 
erable than, even death itself! Suffer- 
ing all the horrors and agonies of 
death: longing and hoping for death; 
yet, cannot die! Dying always, yet, 
not dead! Also, a fearful looking for 
and expectation, beyond the grave, 
when death does come, of something 
more terrible, more dreadful, the sting 
and gnawing of the worm and the deaih 
that never dies! When they shall be 
dead to all hope, joy and happiness, 
but alive to dispair, misery and 



The Grim Chieftam 55 



wretchedness only. Always dying but 
never dead! Always burning, but 
never consumed! Ever starving yet 
cannot eat, and forever thirsting but 
cannot drink! Oh how pleasing the 
thought! It is joy unspeakable, music 
to my very soul! It's all right now! 
I've got it at last! I will wage an 
eternal war upon slavery It, hence- 
forth, shall be the object of my wrath. 
Upon it I will pour out the full meas- 
ure of my vengence. Kansas is the 
rock upon which slavery shall be bro- 
ken, and the recoil of the shock shall 
not only, drive it from the Union, but 
eventually, from the face of the*earth, 
and in the conflict, which must ensue, 
I shall lead great armies and fame 
and glory shall be mine. No prouder 
memorial could be inscribed on the 
humbl6 stone, that may mark my last 
resting place, or the monument that 
freemen shall erect than "The Aven- 
ger of the Down Troden of the earth.' 



56 Hie Grim Cheiftain 



Now at any other time and under 
any other circumstances, the Chieftain 
who had been trained hom his youth 
to look upon the abolitionists as the 
most execrable and despicable of all 
men, would as a matter of choice, just 
as soon, have thought of enteiing the 
sulphury regions and with Belzebub 
and his cohorts waging war upon Mich- 
ael and the arch-angles, as to think of 
joining the free state men, to make 
war with them on slavery. He never 
had made a speech but what they 
came in for a full shaie of his vitup- 
erations, nor could he find words in 
the vocabularies of the human tongue 
sufficient to express his detestation and 
abhorance in which he held them and 
their principles. This in his estima- 
tion was the sum, substance and the 
very essence of a truly Democratic 
speech, and the only standard by 
which it could be prepared and with- 
out which there could be no excellence 



The Grim Chieftain 57 



in It, whatever. And, though, he had 
never killed or stoned them, yet, like 
Saul, when the martyr Stephen was 
stoned, vet he was always ready to 
hold the clothes of those who did. 

For him, therefore, to think of join- 
ing those, whom, he had been so re- 
cently declaring were abolitionists in 
disguise and calling them everything 
to which he could lay his tongue was 
worse tenfold than swallowing worm- 
wood and gall. The question, also, 
arose in his mind would they admit 
him, and, if they should, there was 
one among them, who Goliah-like, 
stood head and shoulders above all 
other men m that party, and who was 
not only honored and respected 
for his prudence, courage and ability, 
but was almost idolized and adored 
by the people of the territory. Such 
was Dr. Charles Robinson, familiarly 
called Charley, at that time, the dis- 
tinguished leader of the free-state men 



58 The Orim Chieftain 

of Kansas. Him he could not hope or 
expect to supercede, but for the pre- 
sent, he could work under him.in some 
subordinate position until the proper 
time came for the election of United 
States Senators then, while Charles 
Robinson would undoubtedly be one 
of them, he could probably be the 
other. If so he could then meet on 
equal terms the fgreat Senator from 
lllinois,and demand personal satisfac- 
tion in mortal combat on the field of 
honorjaccording to the code. His expe- 
rience in Mexico,h^thought.since there 
did not appear to be any one among 
the free-state men who had any mili- 
tary knowledge, would be of service to 
them in the approaching conflict and 
would also be an inducement ior them 
to leceive him. 

There was, however, no alternative, 
and as, Esther resolved to go unbidden 
into the presence of the king, so he 
resolves unasked to unite with th^. 



The Grim. Chieftam 59 



free-state party. Perhaps they might 
bid hira come, but if he perished he 
could only perish there, 

'"To staj' away he must forever die." 
In the city of Lawrence, there vvas 
but one man, in whom the Chieftam 
thought he could confide. To him he 
made known his purpose to unite with 
the free-state party at their next meet- 
ing, which was soon to be held; and 
requested, as a personal favor that he 
would call on him for a speech. 
tup: Mp:ETiN(:i. 
In rather a rude liall but as good as 
the City of Lawrence could afford in 
those early times, were assembled to- 
gether quite a number of settlers, very 
similar in appearance to laboring men 
in their ordinary working clothes. 
These men must not, however, be judg- 
ed by their appearance. At that ear- 
ly day nearly every sixtli man, in this 
young and enterprising abolition city 
was tlie ])ossessor of a diploma from 



60 The Grim Cheiftain 

some college or other institution of 
learning, that had the light to confer 
such honors, while the rest had nearly 
all secured a good common school or 
liberal education. To find any one 
who could not both read and write 
and converse fluently and intelligent- 
ly on all subjects of current events 
and common interest was a rare occur- 
ence indeed. Some in that meeting 
were known throughout the country 
as discreat,conragous and able leaders 
and the body as awhole would compare 
most 'favorably Avith any state legisla- 
ture in the country ,if not with the Con- 
gress of the United States. Men in tiuit 
meeting have since filled evei-y posi- 
tion of honer and trust in the state. 
Men there that have i-epresented the 
people in Congress. Some also have 
filled important places in the aimy 
and distinguished themselves as sol - 
diers on hard and well fought battle- 
field, where many sealed, with their 



The Grim Cheiftain 61 



devotion to the holiest of all causes — 
that of truth and freedom. 

Charles Robinson afterwards the 
first governor of Kansas was there;also 
Gen. G.W. Deitzler and Colonel Sam- 
uel Walker and others who, after- 
wards immoitalized their names at 
Wilson Creek, where the ever to be 
lamented Lyon fell; Hon. S. C. Pom- 
eroy, since United vStates Senator; 
Hons, Martin F. Conway and Sidney 
Clarke who have since represented the 
state in Congress; Dr. Day; Judge J. 
S. Emery who soon after visited many 
I'ities and laid the political situation 
of the free-state men before the peo- 
ple of the countrv and has since been 
United States Attorney. Shaler \\\ 
Eldridge the well known hotel man, 
and brothers. Asaph and laither Al- 
len ivho served as Ca]>tian< during 
the war of the rebelliou. Alien tiie 
Hardware man, since adjutant gener- 
al of tlie stale of Kansas. Simpson 



62 The Grim Chieftain 

Bro's the bankers, who confined their 
attention to their business and never 
sought political distinction; Hoyt the 
martyr;Banscomb who has since serv- 
ed in the Legislature of Kansas, also 
of Missouri; Messrs Hendry and Mil- 
ler who have since been State Sena- 
tors; Wm Hutchison; Hon. S. N. 
Wood, the irrepressible who has since 
been an important factor in the histo- 
ry of Kansas; Hon. Wm. E. Phillips 
correspondent of the New York Tri- 
bune, since Colonel in the army, mem- 
ber of Congress; The brave and fear- 
less Jenkins, who was afterwards kill- 
ed in a quarrel with General Lane; 
Mr. Whitney of the Whitney House. 
There were also many others present 
whose names cannot be recalled, 
but none the less worthy of mention 
on that account. Memory may also 
be at fault as to some of tlie names 
mentioned. 

Ill-: COMES TO THE MEETING. 



The Grim Chieftain 63 



Into this gathering of Free-state 
worthies, whose fame will endure while 
noble and heroic deeds shall find a 
lodging place in the memory ot man- 
kind, the Chief tani, clad in his old 
seal skin coat, came, and going to the 
back part of the hall, took his seat 
there, while, those present looked at 
him with astonishment, then at each 
other, wondering, no doubt, in their 
minds, whether Satan had come alsoo 

HE IS CALLED ON FOR A SPEECH. 

During the progress of the meeting 
after several speeches had been made 
Mr Miller, with who he had previous- 
ly made the arran2:ement to call on 
hini for a speech, arose and said, that 

he saw Col and that he, for 

his part, should be very much pleased 
to^hear something from. him, if he 
should see fit to favor them with his 
views. Scarcely were the words out 
of his mouth, before the Chieftain, to 



64 Tlie Grim Cheifimn 

prevent them from choking him off in 
any way if they should feel so dispos- 
ed sprang to his feet and without 
waiting for recognition by the chair- 
man, began speaking — stupefied and 
amazed the audience silently heard 
him through. 

THE SPEECH. 

No report can do justice to the vi- 
tuperation and anathemas that he 
poured fourth onto the heads of these 
"Hell hounds" of slavery as^he called 
the slave-state Democracy and Sena- 
tor Douglass and the president, who, 
he declared, 'md resolved, by fraud, 
violence and murder, and by the whole 
power of the general government,even 
at the point oi the bayonette if nec- 
essary to for<ie slavery into Kansas 
contrary to the known will and wishes 
and against the most earnest and 
solemn protest of her people who had 
under the organic law^ of the territory 
had the sole right of determining what 



Tke Grim Chieftain 65 



institutions should be and whether or 
not they wanted slavery. 
"No horrid thing did his tongue refuse." 
He concluded by declaring that 
from now henceforth and forever or 
as long as he lived, tliat he was one 
with them — a crusader for freedom. 
That the war was to the knife and 
the knife to the hilt and the death 
until slavery and everything that up- 
held it should be swept to distructian 
and wherever the battle would rage 
the fiercest and hottest, with them he 
would always be found, in any posi- 
tion, in which they might see fit to 
place him, though it were only a pri- 
vate in the ranks. 



CHAPTER III. 

His political rise and downfall in the 
free state party, Historical sketch. Kan- 
sas invaded by armed hordes from Missou- 
ri. First or bogus Legislature. Bogus 
code. Energy and zeal of the Chieftain in 
the free-state cause. He is chosen comman- 
der-in-chief of all the free-state forces. Dr. 
Root's address informing him of his appoint- 
ment. His reply. The horror of all hor- 
rors. His army. How he armed his men. 
His uniform as commander-in-chief. Cap- 
tain Cook of the U. S. Army fails to recog- 
nize him in his uniform. The fear and ter- 
ror of his name in Missouri. He visits Mis- 
sour in disguise as Rev. Dr. Foote. Preaches 
to them and exhorts them to drive the aboli- 
tionists out of Kansas. Visits Lexington 
Mo., in the disguise of a stone mason. He 
visits the states, 

That the reader may have a clear 
understanding of his career which was 
so intimately blended with the early 
history of Kpnsas it will be neccessary 
to give a brief sketch of that period 

Under the direction of no less a per ■ 
sonage than the acting vice president 



The Grim Chieftain 



of the United States, Daniel R. Atchi- 
son, armed men from Missouri invad- 
ed Kansas and took forcible posses- 
sion of all the voting precincts and 
elected the members of the first terri- 
torial legislature, many of whom were 
residents of Missouri. This action, 
they claimed was strictly in accor- 
dance with the organic law which pro- 
vided that every person, passing cer- 
tain qualifications and who should be 
in the territory on the day of the first 
election, should be a qualified voter 
at said election. "We,-' said they 
"are here, therefore, we are voters." 
The law did not prescribe that each 
person should vote but once, theretore 
they could vote as often as they chose. 
They voted and took a drink and 
voted again, voted and treated and 
voted again ; voted and walked around 
the house and voted again; voted 
and changed coats and voted 
again; voted and swapped 



68 The Grim Cheiftain 



jack knives and^ voted again; voted 
took off their coats and voted in their 
shirt sleeves, then put on their coats 
and voted again; voted changed hats 
and voted again; voted nnd] forgot 
they had voted and voted again; and 
called on the abolitionists that it was 
a perfectly free election and that all 
whosoever would, could vote withour 
money and without price and voted 
again ; voted and shook hands, they 
were so happy, and voted again. What 
a glorious election that was! How the 
soul of every true Democrat was re- 
joiced and -^made glad on that day. In 
this way the practical working? of the 
great Democratic boon of "Squatter 
Sovereignty," that neither legislated 
slavery into the territories nor exclud- 
ed it frtmi them but left the people to 
regulate their own institutions in their 
own way subject only to the ^constitu- 
tion of the linited States were exem- 
plified and made manifest at the first 



The Grim Cheifiain 69 



election iu the territory of Kansas. 

This great army provided with all 
the ra achinery and appliances for 
holding and carrying the election, 
such as judges, clerks, candidates, re- 
turning officers, poll-books,tally-sheets 
and what ever miglit be needed and 
strong and numerous enough to seize 
all the voting places was organize;! 
under their very eyes and must have 
had the assurance of the official and 
material support of the administration 
or it never would have been attempt- 
ed. The sequel shows that it had 
both and that the true intent and 
meaning of the repeal of the Missouri 
Compromise was to leave the peo])le 
of Missouri perfectly free to force sla- 
very into Kansas in their own way 
subject only to the will of David At- 
chison and his chief conspirators. 

When this "bogus"' legislature was 
convened it enacted a slave code f(jr 
Kansas in a manner that for simplicity 



70 The Grim Chieftain 

was almost sublime, by enacting that 
the word Missouri wherever it occurr- 
ed in the code of that state should be 
be construed and held to mean Kan- 
sas. Kansas had, now, as black a 
slave code as ever darkened the pages 
of the statute book of any age or coun- 
try for the American institution ot 
slavery was the most abominable sys- 
tem that ever disgraced the face of 
the earth. The bondage of the chil- 
dren of Isreal in the land of Egypt, 
compared with it for barbarity an<^ 
duality was mild indeed. When 
this "Bogus" legislature had appoint- 
ed all the county and other offices 
even down to justices of the peace,jthe 
new dispensation of the 

GOSPEL OF THE FREEDOM OF THE 

TERRITOEIES 

was fully ushered in and that it might 
be permanently and firmly establish- 
ed forever the peo])le were command- 
ed that all things whatsoever were 



The Grim Cldejia.in 71 

written in the book of this law, that 
they must observe and do to the end 
that there might be peace and happi- 
ness in the land. But the people 
said: "This law is a strange law unto 
us, not our law and we will obey 
none of its precepts nor command- 
ments; neither shall there ever any 
bondsmen nor bondswomen dwell 
among us." And when they saw the 
smoke of their dwellings and towns and 
cities rising up unto heaven and there 
was sore oppression in the land, because 
they had no respect unto the law,they 
said unto the Chieftain: "You were 
great in w'ar, in a far away country, 
come, go to, now and lead us to bat- 
tle against these our enemies that we 
may slay them if so be it and deliver 
the ^and from this sore oppression and 
peradventure, we slay them not, that 
we may drive them hence even unto 
their own country. And it came to 
pass, when the Chieftain had led them 



72 The Grim CJieiftain 

torth to battle that they prevailed 
against their enemies mightily and 
smote them, so that they were not 
ahle to stand before them and their 
hearts melted within them and they 
were filled with great fear and trembl- 
ing so that they fled even unfco their 
own country. So now unto this day 
there was no respect for that law^ in 
all the land; neither aie there any 
bondsmen or bondswomen thereia. 
Then all the people, said one to ano- 
ther: "Great is the Chieftain who 
has made so great a deliverence" and 
they said unto him: "'Because thou 
hast done this thing and brought such 
destruction and disgrace upon our 
enemies and didst make their very 
hearts quake within them, so that 
they dare not so much as show their 
faces in our land, for ver^ fear, thou 
shalt hence forth be called the grim 
CHIEFTAIN, and thou shalt continue to 
<X0 in and out before us and we will 



The Grim CJdeftain 73 



lioiior and obey all thy command- 
ments and prece])t.< until we get a law 
of our o-.vn and even then thou shalt 
.-[ill continue to be great among us." 
Whenever an invasion would occur 
]ie was naturally chosen to lead, as he 
was the only military man of auy 
])rominence among the iVoe-siate men. 
Ac length he is chosen 

C0:MMANDER-1 X-CIIIEF 

of all the free-state forces of Kansas, 
and Hev. A. P Root was made chair- 
man of the committee, to wait on him 
and inform him of his a]jpointmeiit. 
Dr. Root: "General, it affords me, 
as well as the committee of which I 
have the honor to be chairman 
great pleasure to inform you that the 
people of Kansa.5, reposing especial 
confidence in your prudence, skill and 
alulity, as a military leader, have, by 
the only authority which the}' recog- 
nize, api;)<nnted you, commander-in 
chief of all tlic f:*?2 .-tr-to f):ccs of 



78 The Grim Cfmfi.im 

to make arrests. The free-state legis- 
lature of Jvansas was dispei'-ed at tlie 
]))\nt of the bayor.ette and Gov. Rob- 
inson east into prison on some fabii- 
■ious ].>retext. The Chieftain's friends 
in his old congressional district, \vlie 
never got their appointments, took this 
Oj)portunity 'to get in tlieir work" and 
joined m tne fray. Kis life moral 
social, domestic, political and religions 
Avas overhauled fre-ni his cradle and de- 
])icted in the blackest coi(n's and 
spread before the country as the un- 
biased testimony of those who kwcw 

him best. 

ins Ai?:\iY 

consisted of men on their farms or 
claims and in the worksliops, :daves 
and officers 

"Who v>'ouId leave their plowshares 'n the 
monkb 
Thieir flocks aiid herds without a fold, 
Their corn havo garnered on the pdaiii," 
and rally to their Chieftain's call in 

]\iis5ourian 



The Grim Chieftain 79 



<ecii)ed to think that he possessed the 
IV.bled poNver of Pompey,thegrc{it.an(l 
couhl, by stamping his hjot on tl;e 
g:roiiiid, raise up aniiios out of tr.e 
earth. 

HOvV HE ARMED HIS :ME:>. 

On one occasion, lie made a call, 
f )r men to drive out a company of 
Missonrians, v»'ho Avcre building a 
block house and molesting and runn- 
ing oft' the fiee-state settlers from lliut 
neighborhood. Many men came 
uithont arms expecting that he coii]<l 
in some \vay, furnish them. Appar- 
ently, taking no notice of the fact, he 
gave the command to fall in and fol- 
lo\v him. When they had marched 
some distance, Ca})t. Aseph Allen ai^.d 
souie one else, supposing that it w;is 
an oversight that the men were not 
provided with arms, sought the Ciiief- 
tain at tlie head of the -column and 
asked: ''What are the nien goin^r to 
Sudden^v stojiping auvi 



70 Tire Grim Chciftain 



crime which completely unfttted him 
for membership in the Democratic 
party; to join the abolitionists or free 
state party was as far as human de- 
pravity could go; but to appear m a 
full coat of war paint as chief of the 
abolition army, with his bow ready 
strung in his handjiis quiver well fill- 
ed with barbed and poisoned arrows 
iiung over his shoulder, tomahawk an([ 
scalping knife at his side, driving the 
minions of slavery before him as chaif 
is driven before the wind was the un- 
speakable horror of all horrors, the 
most horrible; the horror that should 
be despised by all true Democrats, 
from the very bottom of their souls. 
To them he was the very abomination 
of slavery or some worse if possible 
set up in the most holy place of slav- 
ery. Frantic and urgent appeals 
were made throughout the slave- hold- 
ing states for men and money to aid 
in driving from KaLsas orexterminat- 



II 



TJ>e Grim Cheiftam 77 

i lu' the iiilninian ami iiuciirtliiy n\on- 
stcr and liis Mbiiorcd li^rde of follow- 
ers or slavery m'ouI-J be forever lost 
and the country ruined. Iiierea.-ed 
rewards were offered for hi^i head, one 
111 Alabama of 8100,000. The North- 
ern Democrats took up tlie howl and 
>vere not behind their Southern bretli- 
ci-n in nothin<^ save raising men ai^d 
,iio.ney,yet strange as it may seem now a 
( oinijany of men was raised in Pejin- 
-ylvania and sent to help make Kan- 
sas a slave state but deserted wlien 
they learned tiie nature ot the work 
tliey were required to do. Oongres- 
the president and cabinet came to the 
rescue ot slavery, pioclamations and 
iiianifestoes were issued; charges of 
treason were prefered against tlie 
Chieftain and leaders of the free-state 
men. Law and order parties invad- 
ing Kansas from Missouri were the 
order of the day; arany officers and 
Tnited States M rshals were ordered 



74 The Grim Chieftain 

Kansas, and have delegated this com- 
mittee to inform you of the fact." 

The Chieftain straightening liimself 
to his full height and with all the 
gravity and dignity ot one who mi.ht 
be supposed to wear the diadem of the 
universe, replied: "Mr. Chairinan,and 
genUemen of the committee, allow me 
to say to you and through you, to the 
peoyjle of Kansas, that this is the 
13roudest, as well as, the happiest mo- 
ment of my life. AV^'e the honors of 
the entire world at your dispose!, you 
could not confer on me, one that 
would be more consonant to my feel- 
ings and wishes. It fills the measure 
of my ambition and my most cherish- 
ed hopes and aspirations. To be com- 
mander-in-chief of the free men of 
Kansas and with them drive the mur- 
derous invading hords of the Demo- 
cracy and slavery from her soil back 
to Missouri where they belong is a 
position of which any man should feel 



The Grim Chieftmn 75 



proud, since it is the highest and the 
noblest honor and the grandest glory 
that can fall to the lot of mortal man. 

Ai-ow me, Mr. Chairman, to say 
further, that v»'ords utterly fail to ex- 
press the thanks and gratitude with 
which I accept the trust and honor 
that has been confered on me. All the 
energy, skill and abilit}^ which I pos- 
sess shall be deyotcd to the cause 
\Yhich lies so near to the heart of aU 
the people until the last armed inva- 
der who would inflict that blithing 
and withering scoui'ge and curse of 
human slavery, is forever driven fiom 
the face of our beautiful territory." 
Horor horrorum horrendissimiis 

To attempt to carry out a policy 
that would surely make Kansas a free 
state under an honest administration 
of the organic law of the territory and 
the national Democratic platform of 
1852, the last expression of the policy 
and principles of that party was a 



hi.ikiW'j; ihviw ^-Lc•i■;ily in the f;ice iis 
thoiiiy;ii he was perfect! v siirprir?c(l Jit 
tlieir stupidity, ivplied: '"Wiiy tMl%e 
them from the enemy,'' mu\ march- 
ed on. When he came near to the 
cam]) of tlie enemy, he ^ent a free- 
state nian aiiead, and iMStriicted him 
to run into their camp and tell them 
lie ^vas coming v.ith his whole army 
and aloo ti> ofler his service to thicm 
;ind tell Ihem that he iuid serve;! dwv- 
ing tlie ^lexican war, as a gunner and 
re{piest to be put in charge of a can- 
non v.hich the Chieftain kiu'.w they 
luul- The free- state man did as in- 
sti'uck-d and took charge of tlie can- 
non v.iilKrot Avaiting to be foi-maljy 
installed as gunner saying he was go- 
to l)lo\v the abulilionists to pieces. 

M'hilc liiey wore coming up the road, 
and began giving orders to the men 
what they should do. Just then ti;e 
Iree-state men came in sight " on the 
double (;^uick.'' Evei-y thing in that 



Hie Grim Chieftain SI 



camp was confusion worse than con- 
founded. The cannon by some means 
went ot prematurely, tearing the top 
off the block house, wKile the Missou- 
rians started^'pell incll, belter skelter" 
for their lives, leaving most of their 
arms and all their camp equipments 
and baggage. When the aims were 
distributed to the free-state men, the 
Chieftain walked up to Capt. Allen, 
as cool and unconceriied, as though 
nothing unexpected had occurred, and 
said; "Now, you see how it is done.*' 
ills UMFOR AS co:\rMAM:)ER-ix- 

CHIEF. 

While he was ever ready and eager 
to resist to death the bogus militia, 
and .sheriffs and all processes for his 
arrest by virtue and authority of the 
*i)ogus code, yet for the purpose of a- 
voiding arrests by United States army 
officers and deputy marshals with 
whom it was his fixed policy never t»> 
come into conflict bcl:?'::-^.r. as he al- 



82 _ The Grim Chieftain 

ways said, the moment that there was 
a collision witli the United States an- 
th<)nties, everything wa^ lost, he pro- 
cured a uniform, that, ior variety of 
colors and material would coM^pare 
favorably with Joseph's famous coat of 
many colors though not so bright or 
gay. This consisted of a red wig with 
hair extending down his back over 
his shoulders and beard of the same 
color, coveiing his breast, both beard 
and wig looking as though they had 
never been either cleaned or combed, 
of an old ciownless and rimless hat, 
above which the red hair of the wig 
extended; an old coat and pants and 
vest, covered over with old patches ot 
every variety of material and color, 
sewed on with every variety -^f thread 
and for buttons, strips of old cloth, 
were run through the button holes of 
one side of the garments and holes 
punched in the other side and tied in 
an awkward knot; one old boot,f n,ono 



Tlie Grim Chieftain 83 



loot and an old shoe on the other 
with a club in his hand or on his 
shoulder. His appeal ance was 
somewhat similiar to what one 
might imagine that of the my- 
tliical ferryman that carries the de- 
parted shades over the river styx 
"To night')* Plutonian shore." 
Dresseo in this unifoim, the value 
of which was eqnal to liis salery, for a 
fall year, as commander-in-chief, and 
under an assumed name, he would 
march in the ranks without being re- 
cognized by those most intiinate ^with 
him. Judge Wakefield's eons, told 
the writer, that they marched witli 
him for two days, one along side of 
him part of the time, and did not know 
at the time, he was in the command, 
though, they knew him perfectly well 
when not di.«guised. Thongh he car- 
ried a club, yet under that old coat 
was concealed a perfect arsenal of 
death, a full half dozen of the best re- 
volvers that coiil.l be procured. 



84 The Grim Chciftain 

CAPTAIN COOK OF THE U.S.AI MY IV ILS 
TO RECOGNIZE IIIM. , 

He moved on Lecomptoii once on 
some business of iinportance but aviio 
prevented from carrying his designs 
into execution by Capt Cook whom he 
met there with liis company. Capt. 
Cook who had orders for his arrest 
drew up his company in front of the 
Chieftain's forces and then rode all 
around them scrutinizing every man 
very closely and coming to Marcus J, 
Parrot inquired for the commander of 
those forces. "I have that honor" re- 
plied Mr Parrot. "It is my duty" re- 
plied the Captain ''to command those 
men to disperse and return to their 
homes." "You shall be obeyed with 
pleasure" replied Mr Parrot and all 
started for iheir homes. 

Capt Cook knew the Chieftain well 
having served with him in Mexico but 
failed to recognize him in his uniform 
though within a few feet of him while 



The (him Chnjiii'ni 85 

talkint; to Mr. Pairot. 

I Iir, TKUJOK OF Firs NANfK IN MlSSoT- 

was realy lri;ilitlul tiiul iiJCDiU'cival'le. 
The writer iiad some Imsiness about 
tliat time over in Missouri and st;ii<l 
all night with a farmer, thouLzh not a 
slave holder, not far north of Plat ts- 
burg. After supper he l>eiran eonver- 
salion by asking the writer wiiere he 
eame from and where he was goin^. 
N'erv i)ointed questions under the eir- 
eumstanees the writer thought, hut 
after answering in a manner that lie 
flattered hiwiselt' the great Talleyrand 
would have envied, could he have 
heard it. The Missouriaii seemed sat- 
isfied and continued tlie conversation 
in a very frank and friendly uianner 
Soon he remarked: ''They are having 
great trouble over in Kansas." This 
news appeared to be very astoiushing 
and the writer inquired wliere Kansas 
was, if it was in Missouri. "No" said 



86 The Grim Chieftain 

he, looking as though he pitied the 
\\'riters knowledge of geography ''Kan- 
pas is the territory west of Missouri. 
Congress gave it to the south for a 
slave state but the abolitionists have 
gone there in great numbers to make 
it an abolition or free-state. And as 
it could not be made a slave state, 
while they were there, our people 
went over to drive them out. I never 
went over but I was afraid they ^ould 
make me go. The abolitionists fought 
our men and drove them back. They 
have a general who was a Colonel in 
llie Mexican war for a leader or com- 
mander. He is over eight feet high 
and well built in proportion and when 
lie was commanding in Mexico, hi«» 
voice could be heard all over the bat- 
tle field above the roaring of the can- 
non. Stranger this is the God's truth 
I'm telling you. He has his men 
armed with Yankee guns,called Sharps 
rifles, that will shoot sixty times a 
minute and kill a man a mile away. 



The Grim Chieftain 87 

Our people thought they could drive 
theui out with cannons, but they have 
now got cannons over there, some 
Yankee invention I suppose that they 
load by putting the balls in a hopper, 
the same as a miller puts grain into a 
hopper, to grind. — I can't discribe it 
to you or tell you how it works. I 
do not think the abolitionists can be 
got out and the south must loose Kan- 
sas." 

Another night the writer was told 
that when the Chieftain took any of 
the Missiourians as prisoners he made 
them dig their own graves and then 
had them shot and buried them in the 
grave i which they then selves had dug ! 

HE VISITS IN MISSOURI AS THE REV. 
MR. FOOT OF ALABAMA. 

When there were no bands of MIkS- 
sourians that required his attention, to 
avoid arrest by army officers and U. 
8. Marshals and wishing to become 



8<S 



The. Grim CIk Iflain 



.'U''jua'.nto<l with the conntiv thinking 
it might become i)ece.\sarv, at some 
, lime to follow the inviulei^ across the 
line and carry the war into tlieir own 
countiy he would visit Missouri in 
disguise. On one occasion under the 
assumed name of tlie llev. Mr. Foot 
of AJal^ama, lie traveled for (juite a 
while in tliat state telling them of 
their duty in tiie ])rest'nt crisis to 
make Kansas a slave stat'\ by driv- 
ing ont or exterminating the aboli- 
tionists. That is if tl Qv did not do so 
their slaves would be sent free and 
they and their wives and sons and 
daughters would be compelled to work 
like "niggers " An<l not only that 
but niggers" would marry their sons 
and daugliters. That it was absolute- 
ly necessarrv to make Kansas a slave 
slate m Oider to secure the institution 
of slavery That it was their duty to 
themselves aiu! their families as well 
as tlieir dutv to tlieir God, at all haz- 



The Grim Chieftain 89 

zarcls and by every means within 
their reach to drive out or kill 
tliat <rreat arch-liend of abolition- 
ism (himself.) 

He claimed to the writer that the 
sermon he preached one Sunday 
was considered by his congregation 
orthodox on the slavery question 
and that he was highly compli- 
mented fm- it. Those who knew 
the Chieftain will think he would 
be rather out of place in the pul- 
l)it delivering a sermon. But 
when it was recollected that nearly 
all Democratic speeches of those 
tim\s were made principally 
of extracts from the sermons of 
southern preachers on the blessings 
and divinity of slavery and that 
the Chieftain had been a very 
])rominent Democratic orator, it 
will be readly seen that he could 
make some very salient points if 



1)0 The Grim Chieftain 

not a logically connected discourse ■ 

]IE VISITS LEXINGTON MO. DISGUIS- 
ED AS A STONE MASON 
HUNTING WORK. 

At another time he landed from 
the deck of a steamb( a' at the city 
of ' Lexington, disguised with the 
grey, almost Avhite wig and beard, 
the hair being qnite long, carrying 
a kit of stone mason's tools and 
walked all over and around the 
city hunting work but no doubt, 
like the nigger, praying earnestly 
that he would find none. Had the 
l)eo})le of Lexington known he was 
there it is hard to tell whether 
they would have run away in a 
])anic or tried to take his life. 
Probably they would have thought 
lie had a great army concealed and 
run. 

HE VISITS THE STATES. 

When the Missourians stopped 



The Grim Chieftain 91 



emigration and supplies from the 
north to Kansas at Lexington Mo. 
by stopping the steamboats to that 
city and sending back free-state 
emigrants and confiscating such 
])roperty as they considered con- 
traband with his usual sagacity he 
foresaw that unless there was some 
other route, by which emigration 
and supplies could come to Kan- 
sas, that the free-state was hope- 
lessly ruined. He, therefi n, vis- 
ited a number of Western states 
and cities and laid before the peo- 
ple the true condition of affairs in 
Kansas directed that emigration 
should be through the state of 
Iowa, returning himself in that 
way with about three hundred set- 
tlers, most of them, men with 
their families teams and house- 
hold effects; while a few thought 
there would be no baggage needed 



92 The Grim ChUftaiu 

in Kansas but Sharps rifles and 
good navy revolvers. This com- 
pany of emigrants was magnified 
]"y the proslavery Democracy of 
Missouri and the country into an 
immense army marching through 
Iowa. Some paper put it as high 
as 20.000 and some 50.000. He 
did all he could to kee}) up the 
impression. For when he could 
not be fighting or chasing the 
slave Democracy his next greatest 
glory was to be scaring them to 
death. 



The Grim Chieftain 9'\ 



CHAPTER IV. 

He runs David 11. Atchison the act- 
ing Vice President of the United States 
with his free-booters and cut throats 
back to Missouri. 

All attempt."^ to crush out the 
free state men by armed bodies 
from Missouri having failed David 
Iv. Atchison, ]>resident of the Hen- 
ate and acting vice i)resident of the 
United States and the invisible 
head and grand moving spirit of 
the slave holding conspirators, 
resolved to raise and place himself 
at the head of an army commen- 
surate with his own self supposed 
importance and dignity, that would 
speedly crush out all opposition 
to making Kansas a slave state. 
Having accordingly, collected from 
all parts of Western Missouri a 
number of men, variously estimat- 



94 The Grim Chieftain 



ed at, from twelve hundred, to 
three thousand and having thor- 
oughly organized and equiped them 
he marched them into Kansas with 
the avowed purpose of extermin- 
ating or driving the abolitionists, 
as he called the free-state people, 
from the territory. For some rea- 
son or other, he camped soon after 
he crossed the line, prol)ably to a- 
wait the arrival of more men and 
supplies, but more probably to ol)- 
serve and see what eflfect his exalt- 
ed personage and confidently sup- 
posed invincible force Avould have 
on the people. For it is only rea- 
sonable to suppose that some spark 
of humanity yet remained in his 
bosom and that he would rather 
scare them to death than kill them 
outright. Since Atchison was act- 
ing under no legal authority, the 
status of both him and his men in 



The Grim CJiieftain 9" 



the eyes of the civilized world and 
by the laws of nations, was that of 
(^neniies of the human race free- 
booters and pirates, subject to be 
captured and put to death by any 
])eople or nation that had the pow- 
er and saw fit to do so. It Avas the 
duty of Missouri to prevent these 
men from lea vine: the state and in 
<"ase she neglected or was unable 
to do so it was the duty of the gen- 
eral government to protect the 
people of Kansas from their ravag- 
es but on the contrary these men 
had the active assistance and co- 
( peration of the btite authorities 
of Missouri in their behalf and the 
sympathy and moral and material 
support of the government of the 
United States. Many of them 
were armed wdth guns that were 
taken from the United States ar- 
senals for the purpose. 



06 The Grim Chieftain 



To meet and rej el this inva^ioi 
the Chieftain hastily collected 
three hundred and fifty men, most- 
ly from Lawrence and Douglas 
county, and set out fur the camp 
of Atchison with all possible 
haste. He was compelled to act 
thus promptly to elude the United 
States troops whose officers had 
orders to arrest him and disperse 
his men, but strange to say, never 
had any orders to disperse the 
Missourians and arrest their 
leaders. They could roam over 
the territory at their will and 
commit depredations and Imrn and 
murder to their hearts content and 
their was no one, so far as tlie 
general government was concerned 
to molest or make them afraid. 
Had he delayed to collect larger 
Ibrce, he feared the troops would 
l)e thrown between him and 



The Grim Chiejtnin 97 

uemy, as had been dont^ on sev- 
i'ral occasion before, ;ind thus 
cover and protect Atchison and 
be ready to arrest liim andihsperse 
Ins men. For these and other 
-(Hnid military reasons which will 
l)e ap})arent on reflection, it was 
mdispensible thathe should strike 
at once such a blow as would send 
Atchison back and let his men re- 
turn to their homes. He, there- 
fore, left Lawrence early in the 
morning and marched forty-four 
mile's in one day and part of the 
night — three rlays march for an 
army in one — and halted for the 
remainder of the night about four 
miles from Atchisons camp. 

What is the issue to be settled by 
these two armies when they meet 
in the morning? 

If Atchison prevails the people 
of Kansas will be butchered or 
driven houseless, homeless and 



98 The Grim Chieftain 



penniless from the territory and 
Kansas will be made a slave state 
and a slave-holding Oligarchy 
established on the ruins of the Re- 
public. On the other hand if the 
free-state men drive back the 
invaders, any other attempt of the 
kind will be impossible, the people 
of Kansas will be secure in their 
homes and Kansas made a free- 
state, and the design to establish 
an Oligarchy over this continent 
with slavery as the cheif corner 
stone will be thwarted and slavery, 
itself, will be destroyed. No 
greater issue for good or evil was 
ever submitted to the grandest and 
mightiest armies that have ever 
shook the earth with their "trod. 

Reader, if you were not one of 
that little army let your imagina- 
tion carry you back to the place 
where those men stopped for the 
night to eat their scanty rations, 



Tlie Grim. Chicpiln 99 

and wait for the coming morning 
before they began tbeir work of 
death. Hee the (lifnftain with his 
body inclined* forwards and his 
b ead do wn wa r d wal ki ng backward 
and forwards among his men, as 
they sit round, in little groups 
talking of their coming fate, as 
though he was perfectly uncon- 
scious of .everything. Imagine 
you hear him solihxpiizing; "The 
coming morning brings the crisis 
of Kansas and my li^e Yes, it will 
settle the fate of Kansas and seal 
my destiuy for weal or for woe. 
If I fail the peoi)le of Kansas will 
be butchered and driven out. Kan- 
sas will be a slave state, and a 
slave-holding Oligarchy take the 
])lace of the Republic. To fail,noAv 
this morning will be to fail for- 
ever, for I have no subsistency for 
my men, the troops will be here. 
The blow must l)e struck with the 



100 The Grim Ch'ifftfil,} 

coming light. If I drivi.- him. -all 
will be well; no other invasi(^n can 
be made. They will l.>e so utterly 
demoralized that they never can 
recover. Kansas will be a free- 
state, and the attem})t to establish 
a slave-holding Oligarchy will be 
abandoned.. For Kansas is the 
natural key to that position. They 
will then attempt to dissolve the 
Union and set up a slave-holding 
government of the Southern States. 
This will make war and slavery 
will be destroyed and the Demo- 
cratic party and its leaders will gC' 
down with it and the desire of my 
soul for revenge shall than be sat- 
isfied. The time is at hand and 
cannot be defered. I wilt this day 
rise to the very pinnacle of honor 
and fame, or die a most glorious 
death, which is far preferal:)le to a 
life without hope and without 
}>rospects. 'Sfich a life I care not 



The Grim Chieftain 101 



to live — I cannot — I will not live. 
If At chiffon drives me back — no 
that cannot — must not be. I will 
drive him or I and ;dl my men 
will die a death that will render us 
immortal, though dead we shall 
live forever. Thermopyhe and 
Kansas! Leondas and myself! If 
I only had my revenge on Senator 
])(»U2,ias and the Democratic party, 
I think I should prefer such a 
death with the assurance of im- 
!Hr>rtal glory to the uni^ertainties of 
life. Tlie opportunity is before 
me and I will improve it. But 
dnylight will soon be here I must 
talk to the men and get them ready. 
By the very first ai>pearance of 
daybreak he had his men in mo- 
tion, soon came insight of Atchi- 
son's scouts or pickets. It is said 
that Dol Donophan a man of con- 
siderable experience, having, made 
during the ^lexican war, an expo- 



102 The Grim Ohieftah 



(lition almost equal to that of 
Cyrus the Younger and had been 
victorious in various battles, was 
in command of this scouting party. 
No fitter man could have been 
selected for the position. The se- 
lection by Atchison, of the man 
who carried the military brains of 
the expedition, for this post shows 
the great <lread in which he stood 
of the Chieftain and his army and 
the great impcn'tance he placed 
upon reliable information as to his 
numbers, equipments and contem- 
plated movements. It would be 
very natual to suppose that a man 
of his ability and experience could 
reconnoiter, almost at a glance, 
the number and capabilities of any 
for<?e that was likeh^ to be brought 
against him; but from strange and 
unaccountable reasons he magni- 
fied this little force of three hun- 
dred and fiftv men into an armv 



The Grim Chieftain 108 



that were to be numbered not by 
thousands but by tens of thouands. 
Whether this lu(hcious and fatal 
mistake resulted from the scouts 
being in a condition to sec double or 
from a terror-stricken imagination 
or from a sort of a mirage that 
sometimes apparently multiplies 
objects in the distance especially 
in the early twilight of the morn- 
ing or whether it was caused, as 
some say, by the Chieftain, who. 
seeing the scouts as he was cross- 
ing a ridge or knoll, counter- 
marched the head of his column, 
as soon as it decendecl out of their 
sight, through a low place, the 
ground fayored the mana}yre and 
strategy, lu'ought it to the rear and 
then kept marching round and 
round in a circle continually mov- 
ing oyer the high place towards 
the enemy and returning through 
the low places, thus seemingly 



104 The Grim Chieftain 



magnified his numbers in the sight 
of the scouts for the purpose of 
producing a panic and demoraliza- 
tion in the camp of Atchison when 
they reported — Whether it was any 
one or all of these causes combined 
or some providential interference, 
that cansed the mistake cannot be 
told. 

As soon as the scouts left their 
position, the Cheiftain moved for- 
ward with all possible speed for 
the purpose of attacking Atchison 
while forming into position, at 
long range with his Sharp's rifles 
and when panic persued to rush on 
them with their revolvers, and put 
them to flight. Most of the free- 
state men carried from one to three 
pair of the best that could be pro- 
cured. When, however, the free- 
state men came onto a rise of 
ground where they expected to see 
the enemy they saw only a cloud 



The Grim Chieftain 105 

of dust moving towards Missouri. 
They had fled. The scouts ran in 
just as Atchison had taken off his 
hat to eat his breakfast and re- 
ported: ''They are coming, not 
only by thousands, but by tens of 
thousands." Atchison seizing his 
hat and putting it on his head said; 
*'We must either fight or run, I 
tell you that horrid monster com- 
ing will fight," And without tell- 
ing his men which they must do, 
mounted his horse and made for 
Missouri on his best possible time, 
and his example was followed by 
all his men. 

The freestate men found a break- 
fast already cooked in his camp 
and other property sufficient to 
make their little campaign a finan- 
cial success. They pursued, till 
they made sure Atchison had gone 
to Missouri, and then returned to 
their homes. 



106 The Grim Chieftain 

What the result of a battle would 
have been had Atchison not fled, 
it may be useless to speculate. 
But, when we consider, that, in 
addition to his bravery and mania 
for battle, and his desire for re- 
venge on the leaders of his old 
party, the chieftain was playing 
for what he considered the grandest 
prizes that could fall to the lot of 
man,, a Senatorship and the Presi- 
dency of the United States with all 
the honors and emoluments which 
these positions imply, it will not 
be unreasonable to conclude that 
Atchison would have been driven 
back or he and his army would 
have lost their lives in the attempt. 
This was the opportanity of his 
life and he knew it. To be de- 
feated or fall back under any cir- 
cumstances, no matter what the 



odds were against him would have 



been the ruin of all his most cher- 



The Grim Chieftain 107 



ished dreams, hopes and aspira- 
tions. To him, than this,, death 
Avould have been far preferable. 
There can be no doubt but that 
he was ready and willing then and 
there, as he always had been, to 
offer up his life, as a sacrifice on 
the alter of his ambition. That his 
men would have stood by him and 
shared his fate none but a simple- 
ton can doubt. They had met and 
defeated and put to flight this same 
enemy, only in numbers not so 
great, on many other battle fields, 
as at Franklin, Black Jack, Osso- 
watomie, Hickory Point and other 
places. And many of those men 
since at Wilson Creek under Gen- 
erals Deitzler and Bob Mitchell, 
and on many other hard fought 
battlefields, have, by their conduct 
added lustre to our national history. 
These men, after they had turned 
the business ends of there Sharp's 



108 The Grim Chieftain 

Rifles onto the enemy and thrown 
him into confussion, would have 
rushed into close quarters and vied 
with the chieftain, himself, in 
deeds of valor and daring until the 
coinage would have ended by the 
flight of the invaders or the death 
of the free-state men. They were 
out on a business trip that morn- 
ing and ntent no foolishness what- 
ever. 

The temptation to burlesque the 
ridiculous ending of this campaign 
on the part of Atchison, by throw- 
ing it into the machine, though a 
poor one and long out of use and 
much out of repair, and grinding 
it into verses, is too strong to be 
resisted: 

The Senator sat near his tent. 
While musing on the expected hour. 
The Chieftain in supplication bent. 
Should tremble and implore his power 

But from these very pleasing though ;s; 
This most delightful severy seeming, 
He soon was roused, by frantic shouts 
Of tenor stricken pickets screaming. 



The Grim Chieftain 109 

Before the morning dawn appeared 
As, summer leaves in numbers seem, 
That Wiley Chieftain's army feared 
Beyond that farther hill we've seen. 

And as ravening wolves pursuing prej-. 
With each, the other vieing, run; 
So eager for the expected prey, 
His army in countless thousands come. 

And soon, we, scattered o'er this plain. 
Shall lie: as leaves of Autumn strewn. 
By that most horrid Chieftain slain 
To be by loathesome buzzards torn. 

No other words he seemed to hear. 
But, in the Artie land was formed. 
That Chieftain drawing now so near, 
And glory great in battle gained. 

So we must either run or flght. 
And quicker than his words were said. 
As turned hare or deer in flight. 
When hunter's hounds pursue they fled. 

In order to paliate their conduct 
for running away in this disgraceful 
manner, they magnified the forces 
of the abolitionists beyond that of 
the report of their scouts and the 
fear of the Chieftain and his army 
became deeper and more wide 
spread throughout Missouri than 
ever. Had Atchison desired rein- 
forcements; to return to the con- 
flict, it would have been utterly 
impossible to raise them. They 



110 The Grim Chieftain 

had now lost all confidence in their 
head as well as the other leaders. 
The ladies from different parts of 
Missouri, made and sent to Atchi- 
son, quite a number of female un- 
der garments, as a fitting testi- 
monial of his conduct on this oc- 
casion, ' 

This was the last attempt on the 
part of the people of Missouri to 
make Kansas a Slave State by force 
of arms. The only reliance npw 
of the conspirators was on the ad- 
ministration at Washington and 
ballot box stuffing and other frauds 
in elections, and failing in that 
they attempted secsssion which 
ended in the destruction of slavery. 

But, on the contrary, since the 
days of Leonidas and his men 
whose action, at Thermopylae, has 
justly been regarded as the glory 
of the worlds history, there is 
scarcely anything more truly hero- 



The Grim Chieftain 111 



ic and grandly sublime than the 
conduct of the Chieftain and his 
men from the time they began to 
collect themselves together at Law- 
rence until they sat down to break- 
fast in Atchison's camp, or the 
camp which Atchison had left. 
They set out, early in the morning, 
and made a forced march during 
Ihe whole dav and half the nierht 
"and after halting a little while by 
the very first appearance of day- 
light, they are ^noving with all 
possible alacrity into what would 
seein to all human appearances 
the very jaw;8.of death. For the 
enemy consistjed of many times 
there own number. He was in his 
own selected position and might 
be fortified and have cannon with 
which he could r^ke them at long 
range, beyond the reach of their 
guns. He was in numbers suffi- 
cient to flank them on each side 



112 The Grim Chieftain 

and, besides, had cavalry sufficient 
to cut of their retreat or hang on 
their rear and cut them to pieces, 
if they should attempt to save 
themselves by flight. But none of 
these considerations moved them. 
Their hearts melt not nor quail 
not at any possiblities of defeat or 
death that may be before them. 
But onward and onward, was their 
cause; every moment apparrently 
adding new zeal to their courage; 
new determination to their pur- 
pose and new energy to their move- 
ments, as if the 

*'Soul that is still marching on" 
inspired every fibre of their being 
in the earl 3' twilight of that morn- 
ing. Such conduct it seems, should 
call forth the admiration of angels 
as well as men. May not the 
lives of those men, in the sight of 
heaven, have been considered too 
precious to be offered up as a sacri- 



The Grim Chieftain 113 

lice to the Moloch of slavery and 
that, that was the reason why their 
numbers were so mysteriously 
multiplied in the eyes of the enemy 
so that he was filled with fear and 
could not stand before them. These 
men were the rock of Kansas on 
which slavery was broken and 
never recovered, but maddened 
and crazed by the shock, finally, 
after going through the most hor- 
rible . death struggles and thoes 
of agony, sickened and died at 
Appomattox court house and there 
was buried in the last ditch. 

"No grander or sublime themp, 
AVas e'er by painters painted, or by 
Poets flung.'' 

Than this short, brilliant, deci- 
sive and successful campaign, 
glorious in its inception; glorious 
in its execution, and most glorious 
in its results. On it the freedom 
of Kansas and the stability of our 



114 The Grim Chieftain 

free institutions and the Republic 
itself was staked, and most nobh' 
were they defended. When this 
little campaign is properly written 
by the unbiased and impartial his- 
torian, it will form one of the 
brightest chapters in the history of 
Kansas or the world. The people 
of Kansas, or of Lawrence and 
Douglas county, to whom the 
greater share of the land belongs, 
should in some way erect a monu- 
ment to the memory of those men 
and inscribe thereon the names of 
each and place on the top of it a 
statue of the Chieftain clad in his 
old seal skin coat, in which he 
made his first speech to the free- 
statemen of Lawrence and declared 
himself a crusader for freedom 
while his life should last. 

Some attribute the success of 
this campaign to what they are 
pleased to call a lucky accident, 



The Grim Chieftain 115 

the mistake as to the number of 
his men. The answer to this is 
that the means used were such as 
would commend success on almost 
any field of action, and create the 
circumstances that made the ac-* 
cident, as they term it, possible. 

Others say that the Chieftain 
was playing bluff and that if Atch- 
ison had not run he would, but 
neither the facts, circumstances 
of the case nor common sense sup- 
port this view. Others say, that 
it was merely providential. An 
over ruling or superintending pro- 
vidence in all the aiFairs of men is 
freely conceded, but this must be 
considered a clear case of provi- 
dence helping those who help 
themselves. All attempts to rob 
these men of the honor that justly 
belongs to them is fiendish. 

The writer regrets that he can 
not give their 



116 The Grim Chieftarn 

whom, lie the martyrs of freedom, 
in far distant battlefields. He 
thinks there conld be no more 
interesting reading than a catalogue 
of the names, occupation and place 
of residence of those who 3'et live 
and the company and regiment 
and last resting place of those who 
are dead. 

This campaign was the crowning 
glory of the Chieftain's career and 
placed him on the top of the temple 
of fame in Kansas along side of 
Charles Robinson. There were 
now apparently two classes in 
Rome (or Kansas.) Snch conduct 
would call forth the admiration 
and command the political sup- 
port of any people of any age or 
country, as well as Kansas. 

END OF THE BOGUS WARRANTS. 

During the administration of 
Governor Greary, the attempt to 
punish free-state men for viola- 



The Grim Chieftain 117 

tions of the bogus code, and resis- 
tance to what the President was 
pleased to call the properly con- 
stituted authorities of the territory, 
was abandoned. Whether this 
course was in obedience to instruc- 
tions from Washington or in pur- 
suance of some act of amnesty by 
the bogus legislature, was not gen- 
erally knoAvn. Instructions from 
Washington to the officials were 
seldom made public, and few peo- 
ple knew or cared what was done 
by the law makers at Lecompton. 
It was ruled, however, that, in 
order to clear the docket, the 
parties must come into court and 
answer or plead to the indictments 
and when they had done so the 
cases would be dismissed. 

Why such a ruling should be 
made, was a mystery. Was it 
done to make court fees and costs? 
Or was it done to extort, in this 



118 The Grim Chieftain 

way a seeming acknowledgment of 
the validity of the laws under 
which the indictments w^ere found 
and thus let the president and his 
advisers ''Down easy"? The lat- 
ter was the view generally taken 
by the parties against whom the 
indictmentd were found and they 
would neither accept service and 
agree to appear at Lecompton and 
answ^er, nor submit to arrest. 
Warrants for the arrest of Colonel 
Montgomery and quite a large 
number of others w^ere placed in 
the hands of a deputy Marshal, 
who proceeded to what was then 
called Southern Kansas to bring 
the parties into court. Colonel 
Montgomery treated the marshal, 
w^hen he called and made known 
the nature of his visit, very kindly. 
''I see," said the Colonel, ''that 
you have quite a number of these 
papers. Will you please let me 



The Grim Chieftain 119 

look over them that I may see the 
names of those who are to be ar- 
rested with me." ''Certainly,'' 
said the marshal, at the same time 
handing over the package. After 
examining them, the Colonel said, 
''My dear sir, it is very dangerous 
for you to carry these things 
around this country, so I will just 
relieve you of any further respon- 
sibility with regard to them and 
keep them myself. What return 
the deputy marshal made to the 
court is not known. Those war- 
rants were never served. 

Warrants were also placed nt. 
the hands of deputy marshal Arms 
among which was one for Colonel 
John Ritchie, of Topeka. To Col- 
onel Ritchie, the bogus code was 
the concentrated essence of all 
political villianies, without the 
sanction of even the form of law: 
and any one who should attemj^t 



120 The Grim Chieftain 



to deprive him of his liberty or 
property by means of any process 
by virtue of this code, he regarded 
a tresspass to be resisted to the 
death if necessary. 

Marshal Arms requested Cap- 
tains Thompson and Hill, of To- 
peka, two men of great nerve and 
courage to go with him to make 
the arrest, but they answered: 
"You ha<l better let that job out." 
The marshal then proceeded alone 
to Mr. Ritchie's residence, to make 
the arrest, but was shot through 
the neck and brought away a 
CO pse. The grand jury failed to 
tlnd a bill against the Colonel and 
this was the last attempt made to 
(dear the docket of these cases, by 
bringing the parties into court to 
answer. Some other way was 
found, unless they remain there 
yet. The Chieftain, having now 
nothing to fear, and no military or 



The Grim Chieftain 121 

political duties to require his at- 
tention, removes his wife and 
devoted his attention in company 
with ''Jimmy Christian" to the 
practice of law in the city of Law- 
rence. But as the profession was 
largely over stocked and the 
country new^ and the people poor 
and but little for lawyers to do, if 
lie succeeded, once in a while, in 
(Pitching a client and "skinning 
him of the hide" amounted to but 
little. He neither added to his 
fame nor his fortune by his legal 
efforts though, it wa 3 claimed for 
liim that his skill in gathering in 
his few and scanty fees was credit- 
able to the profession. 

His real or feigned domestic 
trouble, the terrifleinfilading the 
Democrats had just given him and 
the failure of the Republicans of 
the country to uphold him, and 
nothing to keep him prominently 



122 The Grim Chieftain 



])eforc the people caused him to 
feel that liis "boom was not boom- 
ing" but on the decline and he 
sought an election, and was elected 
a member of the Leavenworth con- 
stitutional convention and asked 
to be made president of the con- 
vention wlien it assembled at 
Mineola. This he said would be 
an endorsement of his past politi- 
cal career by the people of Kansas 
and place him prominently before 
the country, and would give the 
lie to Senator Douglas and others 
v.ho declared that he was a disgrace 
to the abolition or free-state party 
and that they were ashamed of 
him. To this Martin F. Conway, 
who desired the position of presi- 
dent to advance his congressional 
aspirations strongly objected, 
claiming, it was not right that one 
man should monopolise all the 
honors of the party, but fuially 



The Grim Chieftain 128 



said that if the Chieftain would re- 
sign in his favor, as soon as the 
convention was organized, that he 
would yield his ohjections. Accord- 
ingly the Chieftain was chosen, and 
when the convention assembled 
at Leavenworth, after adjournment 
from Blineola, he called it to order 
and tlianking the members for the 
great honor which they had unan- 
imously confered upon him, in 
c'loosing him to preside over their 
deliberations, said that he much 
prefercd a position on the floor of 
the convention, that he would feel 
more at liome there, and uncondi- 
tionally resigned in favor of 
^Martin F. Conway. Thus he ap- 
peared, not only, as declining hon- 
ors that had been heaped upon 
hiiUself, but as dictating upon 
whom they should be centered. 
Nothing notewortliy , in his career, 
occurred during the convention. 



124 The Grim Chieftain 

On all questions, he seemed to act 
with and favor the Conservative 
wing, that is, tho.^e who were in 
favor of excluding the Negroes en- 
tirely and making Kansas a free 
white state; but at the close of the 
convention, in a speech he declared 
most positively, that he belonged 
to the Radical wing of the free- 
state party. The Radical wing 
were largely in the majority. 

In this convention, as in nearly 
all others of a similar kind the 
members took it upon themselves 
to arrange who should hold the 
different state and other offices, 
when they named there own mem- 
bers for the different positions, 
and create an office for the special 
])enefit of a member, they did 
nothing unusual. In the Wyan- 
dotte convention, afterwards, judi- 
cial districts were formed to suit 
the aspirations of certain ones. 



The Grim Chieftain 125 

The slate of the Leavenworth 
convention for the principal offices, 
was 

For United States Senators, 

THE GOVERNOR, 

THE CHIEFTAIN. 

For Congress, 

MARTIN F. CONWAY. 

For Governor, 

HENRY J. ADAMS. 

For Lieutenant Governor, 

J. M. WINCH EL. 

For Chief Justice, 

THOMAS EWING, Jr. 

For Superintendent Public Instruction, 

ALPHABET ARNY. 

As the slate, at the nominating' 

convention, shared the fate of many 

others of simular kind, the rest of 

the names are omitted. All the 

names on the slate were memhers 

except the governor's. 

The Governor was represented 
by the members as the first choice 
and the Chieftain, as the second 



126 The Grim Chieftain 



choice, for the United States 
Senate. The people considered 
these positions were due them for 
the services they had rendered. 
The Governor's name was not con- 
sidered for any other position, all 
considering that he was worthy 
and deserving of the most honora- 
ble place in the gift of the people 
and that the Chieftain had hon- 
estly earned a like position. 

But it soon began to be noised 
abroad throughout the length and 
breadth of the land that the two 
men whom the people delighted 
to honor above all others, were 
disputing and quarreling by the 
way, on the old questions, "who 
should be the greatest" in the 
kingdom about to be set up, and 
that each wished to cast the other 
out into utter darkness and not 
let him have any place in the new^ 
kingdom, but have all the honors 



The Grim. Chieftain 127 



imto himself, that his name alone 
niiglit be great among tlie people 
and that he might exercise domin- 
ion over them. This wa^ very 
grevious with the people and did 
vex them soruly and cansed them 
to talk much one with another and 
say, "This thing must not surely 
liappen, for we owe both these 
men great honor and respect for 
what they have done for us, and 
it is meat that we should render 
unto each the honor that is due." 
And when the people did learn 
that, they were waxing exceeding- 
ly wroth fnd hot towards each 
other ^ they sent their chief men 
and rhen of understanding to them, 
who should say unto them; 'Not 
to act thus wickedly like unto 
foolish men, but to be reconciled 
one to the other: and that 
each should receive the honor that 
was due unto him, but if thev 



con- 



128 The Grim Chieftain 

tinued to act thus wickedly and 
tbolishlyj it would bring dissen- 
sions, among the people; some 
saying "I am for the governor'' 
and some saying ''I am for the 
Chieftain" and that great evil in- 
stead of good would befall the 
land." Where they gave no heed 
unto what was said unto them, the 
people said: ''Albeit, these men 
will not hearken unto us and hear 
our voice, nor cease to act like 
them heathens do, yet we will 
honor them, nevertheless and give 
unto each the honor that is due 
him, then we will be blameless, 
but one shall not cast the'other out 
and take unto himself all the 
honor." 

To venture an opinion as to the 
origin of this quarrel, would be 
useless. That there could not be 
two Caesars at the same time, 
proved true of Kansas, as well as 



The Grim Chieftain 120 

of Rome. Miiiiy and various 
I'ffoits Avero made to put a stop to 
this silly proceeding on the part 
of those men it was said, that th(i 
people of Lawrence tried to get 
them to stand in the same stall 
while General Deilzler, who was 
a friend to each would strike them 
down hut they could not. During 
the convention to nominate state 
officers under the Leavenworth 
• •onstitution, a number of dele- 
gates, prepared a resolution for 
adoption, declaring that the Gov- 
ernor and the Chieftain were the 
rtrst and only choice of the people 
of Kansas, when the proper time 
came, for United States Senators 
and offered in the convention for 
adoption, the delegates who pre- 
pared it, were friendly to both the 
men and thought this course would 
end the trouble. But the Governor, 
who was a member of the conven- 



loO The Grivi Chieftain 

lion, in an able speecL, gave many 
very good reasons, why the rc^so- 
lution should not be adopted. 
That the convention was not held 
for the purpose of declaring who 
should be United States Senators, 
hut to nominate candidates for 
state officers. That, if adopted, it 
would have no binding force, as 
the convention would be transcend- 
i ng its auth or ity . That th e p r op e r . 
place for instructions of this sort 
was when nominations for the 
members of the legislature were 
made. That the ]>rocceding pro- 
posed was unusual. That tliere 
'vas little probability that Kansas 
would be admitted under the 
Leavenworth constitution or dur- 
ing the present adminstration and 
the resolution, if adopted, might 
be embarrasing hereafter; That 
the best plan was to let the subject 
of the choice for senators alone till 



The Grim Chieftain 131 

tlie proper time came. 

The resolution was withdrawn, 
but the members of the convention 
throught that the Governor had 
not given his true reasons for op- 
posing it, and tlieir determination 
to stand was stronger than ever. 
The fight continued. Each had a 
fcn'cman worthy of his steel. The 
Governor was in no danger, how- 
ever^ he was fightiiig to save his 
political standing, or to secure a 
})Osition. Any position that ho 
desired, such was his hold on the 
affections of the people, was sure. 
He was, therefore, regarded as the 
aggressor, while the Chieftain was 
looked on, as fighting to save 
himself; 

THE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION. 

The last hope of slaverj^ was 
the legitimate offspring of the 
••Bogus Code," brought forth by 
Candle Box Calhoun, survevor 



132 The Glim Chieftain 

general and political hiss of the 
administration, democracy, and sub- 
mitted for ratification in the true 
Lecompton style. The people 
could vote for it, "with or Avithout 
slavery, but in either case Kansas 
would be a slave state. The life 
of this most precious Democratic 
liantling could not be jeopardized 
])y allowing the people to vote 
against it. After it had passed 
through the force of a ratification, 
in which the free-state men took 
no part, it was carefully scaled U]) 
and entrusted to a special messen- 
ger to be carried to Washington 
and delivered into the hands of 
the president of the United States. 
Tliis messenger chanced to be i\ 
very psrticular friend of Senato]' 
Stephen A. Douglass, of Illinois. 
Senator Douglass had now become 
disgusted and tired of doing the 
dirty work of the slave pov/er for 



The Grim Chicffain 



1!^ 



>) 



nothing but promises, which were 
never redeemed and resolved to 
|)hiy the squatter sovereign ehiuse 
of the organic act of Kansas for all 
it Avas wortli, to make himself solid 
with the northern democracy and 
|)eople. Learning that his friend 
the messenger was on his way to 
Washington, with his precious 
treasure, Douglass called on him 
as soon as he arrived and asked to 
see the sacred parchment before it 
was delivered to tlie president. 
The messenger replied that he 
could not Uthim see it, that it vras 
carefully sealed up and his in- 
structions were to deliver it into 
the hands of the president and let 
no one see it. 

Senator Douglass felt chagrined 
at being thus snubbed and retorted; 
'•I did not think, after all I have 
done for you, tliatyou would serve 
me so." The messenger relented 



lo4 The Grim Chieftain 

and it was arranged that Senator 
Douglass should take the constitu- 
tion and return it at four o'clock 
p. M. The messenger called on the 
president and told him that he had 
just arrived but his trunk, which 
contained the constitution had not 
3'et come to the hotel, and that he 
was very tired traveling night and 
diy, and must have some rest, and 
that he would bring the constitu- 
tion over at five o'clock or the 
next morning at such a time as 
would suit his convenience. ''B}^ 
all means'' said the president, 
"bring it this afternoon, you will 
have rested sufficiently by that 
time." 

Senator Douglass set clerks to 
work to making a copy of this 
quintessence of political villiany. 
He and the messenger spent the 
day in talking over their boyhood 
scenes and the political situation 



The Gr'iDL Chirjtaln 135 



in Kansas, until the appointed 
time to meet the president. Tlio 
president during the day sent in- 
vitations to Senators Slidel, Mason, 
Benjamin and several others of 
the high priests, of slavery, to be 
present at five o'clock p. m., when 
the long desired culmination of 
democratic statesmenship was to 
be received. When the messenger 
delivered his charge to the presi- 
dent he said: "let me advise the 
president to his hands of this 
thing, for it never can be tJie con- 
stitution of Kansas.'' Whereupon 
Senator Slidel soundly relniked 
him for liis impertinence in pre- 
suming to advise the president of 
the United States as to hig official 
duty, when he was only a messen- 
ger. (Exit Messenger.) 

With this contemptible swindle, 
the president transmitted a special 
message to congress recommend- 



130 21ic Grim Chicftaiii 

ing the admis.-<ion of Kansas as a 
state under it, but Senator Doug- 
lass was fully i^repared and in an 
able speech showed up all the 
vileness, of this attempt to robtlio 
people of Kansas of their political 
rights in a maniier that all the 
powers of the president with all 
liii! patronage, backed by the slave 
povrer, could not force it through 
congress. And, when the people 
of Kansas got an opportunity to 
vote against it when it was. re- 
turned for re-ratification, they will 
hurry it so deep that Gabriels 
trumpet will never awake it. Thus 
ended the attempt to force slaver}^ 
into Kansas and subvert the gov- 
ernment of the United States into 
a slaveholding oligarchy. The 
slaveholders, now, turned there 
attention again to secession and 
rebellion, as they had done before. 
A particular friend of Jefferson 



The Grim Chuftahi 137 

Davis then secretary of war, in the 
winter of 1855. 1856 visited Fort 
Larimie in Nebraska and got the 
names of all the army officers who 
would cajt their fortunes with the 
south in case of secession and war. 
Had Fremont been elected, re- 
bellion would have followed. 

THE KILLING OF CAPTAIN JENKINS. 

The people having now secured 
control of their own political af- 
fairs, everybody was happy and 
so \Nas the Chieftain. The time 
w^hen he should receive the long 
sought senatorship was drawing 
near. But who can tell what a 
day ma}' bring forth, or what for- 
tune may have in store for him? 
One morning he arose with hopes 
and prospects, bright as man could 
wish. At night those hopes and 
prospects were sunk in the gloom 
of darkness seemingly never to 
rise again. In the morning all 



138 The Grim Chieftain 

were ready to bestow on him the 
liigliest honors in tlie state, but 
with the setting sun all men had 
f()rsaken him. lie had shot and 
killed Captain Jenkins, of Law- 
rence, and stood raigned before 
tlie court of his country as a man- 
slayer. The news fl3's. Every 
moment adds new pinions to its 
wings and new vigor to its flight. 
JMen formed their judgment froui 
what they first heard, not waiting 
for the evidence to mitigate or 
justify it. And when it was 
proven on the trial, that, only, 
after using all prudent and proj^ei' 
means to avoid a conflict he was 
compelled, in self defense in order 
to save his own life, to shoot his 
assailant, but few ever saw tlic 
evidence and fewer read it. They 
did not lj:now but that he had been 
acquitted by some technicality or 
defect of the law. Thev knew he 



The Grim Chicftaiii lol) 



hall killed a man, but did not 
know that he was justified in do- 
ino; so. They felt that he had for- 
feited all claim to their political 
support. Some claimed that the 
enemies of the Chieftain got Cap.- 
tain Jenkins, who was a brave and 
fearless man, under the influence 
of liquor and urged him to make 
Ihe attack, knowing that in the 
conflict one or the other would be 
killed, or tliat Jenkins would 
drive the Chieftain from the land 
"in dispute. If the Chieftain should 
get killed that would be the end 
<~>f him; if he sliould kill Jenkins, 
that would work his political ruin, 
or downfall, or if Jenkins should 
drive him from his claim, he would 
be stigmatized, as a coward, and 
be out of the Avay. The writer 
never heard any evidence to sub- 
stantiate this horrid claim and 
could not believe it witliout the 



140 The Grim Chieftain 



best of proof. 

On a former occasion when liir? 
, political barque was dashed to 
})ieces, he found relief in denoun- 
cing the authors of his misery and 
in meditating revenge; but even 
that solace is denied him, for Jen- 
kins is in his grave. All wa :■ dark- 
ness and many others rose up to 
contend for his i)lace, and men 
ceased even to notice him, as they 
passed him by. Nor was he even 
a laughing stock for his enemy, 
who would have scorned to add to 
his humiliation, had it been pos- 
sible so to do. 

Care worn, haggard, reduced al- 
most to a skeleton, the picture of 
dispair, clad in the old seal skin 
coat, the writer met him in Law- 
rence one day, and extending the 
hand ina familar way, said "How'' 
after the manner of an Indian. 
After the salutations were passed. 



The Grim Chuftain 141 

the Chieftain said to the writer, 
that he had heen wanting to sec 
liim for some time, to liave a talk 
with him on a matter of great im- 
portance, and asked the writer to 
go and take dinner with liim. The 
writer did not wisli to have any 
conversation with him fearing that 
he would wish him to join in an 
attempt for his political resurrec- 
tion, yet he could not find it in 
his luvirt to refuse the inviatation. 
During the walk to his old home 
little or nothing was said hy either. 
The writer dreading the conversa- 
tion, and wondering why the 
Chieftain did not hegin it and 
studying also, what answer to 
make; and the Chieftain probably, 
diverting his mind, did not think 
proper to say anything. A thought 
occurred to the writer, that prob- 
ably there would be some others 
at his house one of his confidential 



142 TJiC Grim Chieftain 



little caiiC'iises, and that he did 
not wi.«h to open up the subject 
until the company was reached. 
Arriving at his house, however, 
there was nobody there but his 
wife, who scarcely noticed the 
writer and as women, sometimes, 
do when their husbands bring in 
a. stranger unawares for dinner, 
appeared to be in a bad humor or 
sulky. She looked almost as care- 
worn and distressed as the Chief- 
tain and no doubt was in as miicli 
trouble. What money she may 
h;ive got, was all gone. The trial 
find other expenses were great and 
nothing was left to keep the wolf 
from her door. That despondency 
.md gloom were pictured in her 
:ountenance is not surprising. 
Placing her scanty dinner on the 
table she took a seat by a window 
':o look out, leaving the Chieftain 
o pour out the coffee and wait on 



Jlie Grim Chieftain \4-\ 

the table. Little was said durinLC 
dinner and little on tlie way back 
to Massachusetts street. The writer 
attcni])tedto say something, several 
times, careful, however, to avoid 
the g-reat sid^ject on wliich he hail 
supposed his com})anion desired 
to talk, l)ut there was little or no 
response. Probably tlie writer 
did not do right, but h'.; did not 
feel like joining in what seemed. 
at the time, to be an imi>ossiblc 
undertaking. 

CHAPTER V. 

The fourth of .July 18(59, lit' .speaks at 
Aulnnu How he gets tlie iiivjatatioi . 

Thed'onrtli of July was ap})r()aeh- 
ing and as the year of jubilee had 
now fully come in Kansas, the 
])eople every where throughout 
the territory were making unusual 
preparations to celebrate the day 
in a manner befitting the occasion. 
All tlie prominent speakers were 



144 Tke Grim Chieftain 

engaged to hold forth in the various 
towns and cities, but the Chieftain 
lemained without an inviatation to 
glorify the bird of freedom on the 
national anniversary of American 
Independence, and had it not been 
for the failure of the little town of 
Auburn in Shawnee count}^ to 
secure a speaker suitable to there 
notions, would have remained in 
obsurity for that day, if not forever. 
Auburn, at that lime, an ambitious 
and enterprising little place, was 
making extraordinary preparation, 
for the coming celebration and 
wished to get a more than ordinary 
speaker, from abroad, to give eclat 
to their young city. The com- 
mittee made several attempts for 
this purpose and failed. All the 
speakers to whom they applied, 
having been previously engaged 
by the large towns or cities. The 
committee then tried to utilize 



The Grim Chieftain 145 

"home talent" and secure one of 
the several men in the neighbor- 
hood, who were capable of making 
a very fair address but the time 
was so short they found this a 
very difficult matter, if not im- 
possible, while the negotiations 
of the committee were in progress, 
two citizens of Auburn went to 
Lawrence on some business and 
happened to meet the Chief- 
tain and learning that he was net 
engaged, took the responsibility 
upon themselves to ask him to 
come to Auburn and blow off any 
pent up patriotism that might be 
in his bosom. They explained to 
him the situation but told him 
they thought it would be all right. 
He accepted the inviatation with- 
out any hesitation whatever, say- 
ing that he would come and if not 
all right, he would spend the day 
there and listen to some one else, 
whoever he might be. 



—THE— 

GI^IM 0HIBFTAIN 

of Kansas, 



And Other Free-State Men in 

Their Struggles Against 

Slavery. 



fK Some Political Seances, Incidents, A 

W Inside Political Views and ^ 

Movements in their 

Career. 



CHERRYVALE, KANSAS 
CLARION BOOK & JOB PRINT. 
1885. 



1 



-^^^ 24 I9i..5 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




016 088 994 9 



